With every passing day, the science behind the utility of umbilical cord blood is going a step forward. It is increasingly being used for curing leukemia patients. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells. As the name suggests, it is extracted from the umbilical cord and the placenta immediately after delivery. Stems cells are very important. They have the capability of creating entirely new blood and organs too. The cord blood stem cells have created your baby and by preserving those stem cells, you are giving your baby a greater chance to fight possible life-threatening diseases.
Research shows that the quality of the stem cells taken from the bone marrow is not as high as that of the umbilical cord blood. Patients who have received a bone marrow transplant are more likely to reject the new addition, which could lead to life threatening situations.
If a suitable donor is not found, doctors are able to search the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) for allogeneic matches (stem cells donated outside of the family). With nearly 7 million potential donors, and 70,000 units of cord blood available, the chances are greater of finding a near perfect match for those seeking treatment or transplants
Great promise has been shown in the treatment of Krabbe Disease and other rare lysomal storage diseases through the transplantation of cord blood stem cells. Krabbe disease occurs in infants, and if left untreated is usually fatal within 2 years. Researchers from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have made ground breaking progress in the treatment of this disease. Their research shows that newborns who receive umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants while they are still asymptomatic have a much higher chance of survival than children who have already shown symptoms. The key is to catch the disease early enough to prevent the loss of critical brain function.
Another factor involves the number of cells being transplanted. Children have a greater chance of success, because they do not require the larger amounts of stem cells. Doctors are researching ways and ideas (such as trying to use two or three units of cord blood, or possibly growing new cells from a single unit in the laboratory prior to transfusion) in which to create better options for adults need stem cell transfusions.
Thalassaemia is a blood disease in which the body produces deformed red blood cells. Frequent blood transfusions are necessary and previously the only cure was a bone marrow transplant. On 3 July 2001, a cord blood stem cell transplant was carried out on a 5-year old Malaysian Chinese boy with Thalassaemia Major. He is now able to produce normal red blood cells and is cured of Thalassaemia Major. Besides bone marrow transplant from a sibling, cord blood transplant is now a viable treatment for Thalassaemia.
Once a match is made, many factors are considered, such as age of the donor, their sex, medical conditions, blood type, and other things. The urgency of the required transplant will also play a factor in this process.
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