Cryocord - Cord Blood is a Useful Source of Blood Stem Cells

Cord Blood is a Useful Source of Blood Stem Cells

Umbilical cord blood was first used as a source of stem cells in a patient with Fanconi's anemia in 1989. Since that time, increasing numbers of patients in need of stem cell transplants have used umbilical cord blood as a source for transplanted cells. Two papers published in The New England Journal of Medicine summarized the worldwide experience on umbilical cord transplants. Gluckman, and colleagues reviewed 143 transplants predominantly in children and determined that cord blood was a suitable source of stem cells for pediatric and some adult patient's, particularly if the donor and the recipient were related. This was further expanded in an article, also published in The New England Journal of Medicine, in November 1998 which reviewed data on 562 patients transplanted between 1992-1998. They found that the speed of engraftment was associated with the white blood cell content of the cord blood graft, whereas adverse transplantation related events were predominantly associated with the patient's underlying disease, the center that the transplant took place, the number of white cells in the stem cell graft, and the degree the stem cells and the patient were related based on tissue type. Again, it was concluded that umbilical cord blood is a useful source of stem cells for bone marrow reconstitution and is an acceptable means of stem cell rescue in certain patients with malignancies, or congenital disorders.

These data also suggest that one of the problems with cord blood transplantation concerns the number of stem cells infused at the time of transplantation since there appear to be fewer transplant related complications in those patients receiving the largest volume of cord blood. This implies that expansion of cord blood stem cells before transplantation may make it easier for the cells to engraft the marrow. With a larger number of stem cells available, there may be lower transplant related complications and may allow larger sized children and adults to be transplanted.

References:

Outcome of Cord Blood Transplantation from Related and Unrelated Donors, Eliane Gluckman, MD, et al.,New England Journal Of Medicine, 1997; 337:373-81.

Outcomes Among 562 Recipients of Placental Blood Transplants from Unrelated Donors, Pablo Rubinstein, MD, et.al New England Journal of Medicine, 1998; 339;1565-77.