Bone marrow transplantation technology in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan island has reached a world class level. And both sides of the Strait should conduct more exchanges and cooperation. The remarks were made by a professor from Taiwan University Hospital who underwent the first bone marrow transplant operation in 1983.

Statistics show 85 patients from the Chinese mainland have received their bone marrow matches from Taiwan Island, with an operation success rate of over 80 percent. Chen Yaochang, the Professor from Taiwan University Hospital said: "Saving one's life is always a wonderful thing. The cooperation across the Straits on this aim has been very good."

The professor says the first bone marrow transplant operation was successfully conducted on a leukemia patient at Taiwan University Hospital.

Over the past twenty years, more than 2,000 cases involving bone marrow transplantation operations have been conducted in 16 hospitals on Taiwan island. Among them, Taiwan University Hospital is the largest bone marrow transplantation center, having performed over 700 operations.

Bone marrow transplants have proven to be effective in the treatment of leukemia, severe aplastic anemia, and other hematopoietic and immune system diseases. However, bone marrow can be transplanted only when the donors human leukocyte antigen, a kind of antigen pertaining to the white blood cells, matches that of the recipient.

(CCTV.com December 4, 2003)