Between March 1983 and December 1992, we performed 178 allogeneic BMTs for patients with hematopoietic stem cell disorders: 48 acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), 27 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 40 chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), 55 severe aplastic anemia (SAA), 6 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), 1 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 1 hybrid leukemia. Twenty-five of 48 AML are in disease-free survival (DFS). Fifteen of 27 ALL are in unmaintained remission. Twenty-four of 40 CML are in DFS. Forty-four out of 55 SAA patients are alive and well. Comparing the survival between standard (< or = CR1: 21 of 31 (68%)) and high risk (> or = CR2: 4 of 17 (24%)) AML, our data suggest that the preparative regimen for high risk AML was not potent enough to eradicate the residual disease in advanced AML. Although our cases are limited and the follow-up period is short, the result of ALL (overall: 56%, standard risk (adult < or = CR1, children < or = CR2: 10 of 14 (71%) and high risk (adult > or = CR2, children > CR2): 5 of 13 (38%)) and CML (overall: 60%; CP: 19 of 27 (70%), AP or BC: 5 of 13 (38%)) are promising. The probability of 5 year survival of SAA was 80 +/- 4 years.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)