Newborn’s Cord Blood Helps Cancer Patients
Cord blood which is usually thrown away after childbirth can be used for bone marrow transplants in cancer patients. The cord blood is rich in stem cells and can be used to transplant the bone-marrow that helps people survive cancers and other diseases. The stem cells of those people who have undergone high dose of radiation and chemotherapy gets damaged. More than the bone marrow, it is the cord blood that can be transplanted easily into people who are not related. In addition, cord blood is more easily available than bone-marrow donor.
Bone marrow is a spongy substance found in the centre of bones. It is rich in stem cells that produce white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Thus it helps in increasing immunity and also prevents hemorrhage by helping the blood to clot. In those people with damaged stem cells, the bone marrow with healthy stem cells is transplanted. But the bone marrow must perfectly match between the donor and the receiver. For those patients who are unable to find a bone marrow match, the umbilical cord blood transplantation is an excellent alternative. The cord blood is rich in stem cells.
“Even if other treatments have produced no results, a bone marrow transplant may save the patient’s life,” said Dr. Patrick J. Stiff, director of the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center and the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Ill.
Survey shows that nation’s four million cord blood is thrown away annually. One of the main causes for this is the lack of awareness. And moreover, there are only very few hospitals that allow cord blood donation.
There should be more private and public cord blood banks to store cord blood. Unless there is a family member with cancer, people are advised not to store cord blood in private banks. And moreover, doctors are not sure if cord blood stored for a long time is useable.
This transplant can treat a number of disorders in young children and adults like tumors, inherited immune deficiency syndromes, hematopoietic malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes and inherited metabolic diseases.