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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.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells are commonly used to treat childhood leukemia for many years. However, only in recent years that adults with leukemia have been successfully treated with transplantation of cord blood stem cells from unrelated donors. One case is that of Stephen Sprague who was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) in 1995. Chemotherapy only kept the cancer under control for 17 months. In April 1997, he was in the final stage of the disease. He took part in a clinical trial to determine if adequate amount of cord blood stem cells could be harvested for a successful transplantation to an adult. In November 1997, he underwent a cord blood stem cell transplant and has been cancer free for over 9 years.

In Korea, a team of researchers claimed to have successfully transplanted umbilical cord blood stem cells into the spine of a 37-year old woman. The patient had been paralyzed for 19 years due to an accident. Doctors injected the stem cells directly into the damaged portion of her spine. Within only three weeks, she began walking assisted with a walker, and today she walks well without aid.

Cord blood transplant is a relatively new compared to bone marrow transplants The quantity of umbilical cord blood is limited. The amount of stem cells is very crucial for any treatment. A younger patient will require less stem cells compared to an older one. If for any reason the patient requires a second graft, he will have to take a donation from outside. This may lead to more complications.

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.

It is important to understand that some types of blood are more common than others, so finding the right match may take some time. Doctors and NMDP will work together to locate possible matches across the globe, but understanding that protein markers are inherited, some matches may be more difficult to locate than others.

Understanding the cord blood transplant process, the factors involved, and the immediate need of the patient are all important for the patient and their family. However, a family can rest assured that doctors, and those at the NMDP are fervently seeking the best possible matches, so that care of the patient can be focused on during this process.

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