Transplant Optimization Program (TOP)

Our Approach

The Transplant Optimization Program (TOP) at Franciscan Health Indianapolis is a partnership between our Indiana Blood & Marrow Transplantation Program and rehabilitation services which support patients before, during and after procedures for blood cancers such as leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Established in 2022, TOP is the only program in the state offering pre-transplant therapeutic intervention, and one of only two locations in Indiana to offer stem cell transplants – bone marrow transplants and CAR T-Cell therapy. 

A stem cell transplant or CAR T-Cell therapy are both very intense treatments that can cause weakness and severe fatigue, even for patients who regularly exercised and maintained a healthy lifestyle prior to transplant. At Franciscan Health, patients can expect to work with physical, speech and occupational therapists to assess mobility and function. Staff provide specialized education and customized exercise and strength training routines to improve patients’ overall outcomes while undergoing advanced cancer treatment. Throughout the transplant journey patients are followed closely to ensure mobility and endurance is restored after the transplant is complete.

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Increased exercise capacity
• Minimized loss of functional performance
• Improved cognition and memory

Physical therapy can also improve cancer-related fatigue and endurance, often considered the number one side effect of cancer patients in treatment. 

Who benefits from TOP?

Patients who receive a blood cancer diagnosis and are referred by their medical oncologist will meet with the providers at Franciscan Health Indiana Blood & Marrow Transplantation Program in Indianapolis. Patients aged 55 and older or with comorbidities are ideal candidates for the program; however, any patient may benefit from participating in the program to assess baseline function, receive education, and restore quality of life after transplant or therapy for a blood cancer.  

Once patients are referred by IBMT providers to TOP, patients meet with therapists at one of our rehabilitation locations in Indianapolis for assessment, education, and follow-up. 

The TOP Rehabilitation Team

Our team of oncology rehabilitation experts works collaboratively as one care unit to create the best plan to fit the patient’s individual needs:

• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapy Assistants
• Occupational Therapists
• Speech Language Pathologists