Andrew Trunk, MD

A New Treatment Strategy for Bone Marrow Transplant Patients

A bone marrow transplant can be lifesaving for many people with blood cancers but often requires patients to spend a month in the hospital while the chemotherapy and sometimes radiation wipe out their bone marrow to make room for donor blood stem cells. During this time, blood counts routinely drop to dangerously low levels. White cells fall, increasing infection risk. Red cells fall, causing significant fatigue. And when platelets fall, the risk of serious bleeding complications rises.

Andrew Trunk, MD, a hematologist/oncologist at Cleveland Clinic, is determined to change that trajectory. Working in collaboration with Betty Hamilton, MD, and supported by a VeloSano Pilot Grant, he is testing a new approach that could transform transplant recovery.

“Patients sometimes need transfusions every day, sometimes for weeks,” says Dr. Trunk. “It can extend their hospital stay and require them to come back to clinic multiple times a week after discharge, spending hours in the infusion center. It can be quite a time investment for patients and for the caregivers.”

Although platelet‑stimulating drugs like avatrombopag are available, they are generally reserved for later in the transplant course, once complications have already set in. Dr. Trunk’s study is shifting that timeline, and he hopes that early prophylactic use will reduce the time a patient spends in the hospital, decrease the complications and improve the post-transplant recovery phase.

“What’s novel about this project is that we’re starting this medicine early after transplant to try to prevent some of these complications before they even occur,” says Dr. Trunk. “If we can shorten the time to platelet recovery, reduce transfusion needs and decrease bleeding risks, we could improve survival and quality of life. This could potentially impact every single patient who gets a bone marrow transplant at Cleveland Clinic.”

For Dr. Trunk, science is only part of what fuels his work. The resilience his patients show every day pushes him to keep striving for better outcomes. The VeloSano community amplifies that drive, powering research with the potential to reshape cancer care. That shared commitment is why he rides in Bike to Cure.

“My first year, I was so surprised by just how many people were there,” says Dr. Trunk. “The Kickoff Party had an energy unlike anything I’d experienced at a fundraiser before. When you’re at the start line with thousands of people around you, it’s hard not to get caught up in it. It’s just so encompassing. I feel so privileged and honored to be awarded a VeloSano Pilot Grant.”