Issue link: https://www.hub.camaf.co.za/i/863136
Information provided by Ecsponent Biotech, (www.ecsbio.com) on behalf of: This is for information and educational purposes only, and should not be construed as healthcare advice. Please discuss with your healthcare professional. A full list of references is available on the website and at our offices. Data on file. DOC 9.0.1.105.9.SA V1 Effective date: 5 May 2017 Banked umbilical cord blood can potentially provide easier access to a stem cell transplant Blood stem cells used in transplants can be collected from: • bone marrow • circulating blood • umbilical cord blood Why should we store umbilical cord stem cells? 1 in 217 The chances of needing a stem cell transplant in a lifetime of 70 years A newborn's stem cells are young and flexible, which means they have better regenerative abilities. Umbilical cord stem cells have greater therapeutic potential than bone marrow stem cells. They are young and active in comparison with stem cells from other sources – 'a maximum of nine months old' – which means that they can differentiate faster. Cord blood is collected in advance, tested, cryopreserved and stored – ready to use when needed. Because your baby's stem cells were collected at birth, they are ready to use if necessary. Unlike bone marrow, there is no need to take time to locate a possible donor and then determine whether he or she is still willing and able to donate if required for a transplant. Cord blood transplants do not always require a perfect match. Studies have shown that cord blood transplants can be performed in cases where the donor and the recipient are only partially matched. In contrast, bone marrow grafts require a perfect degree match in most cases. Because partially matched cord blood transplants can be performed, cord blood potentially increases a patient's chance to find a suitable donor. Cord blood transplants are associated with a lower incidence of graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in allogeneic transplants (e.g. between siblings). The immune cells in cord blood are less likely to attack the recipient's own tissues and cause the transplant-related complication of GVHD. Single umbilical cord 80 - 120ML BLOOD Bone marrow from a donor 800 - 1200ML BLOOD Same amount of blood stem cells Source: European Parliament - European Commission THERE ARE NEARLY 8 TIMES AS MANY BLOOD STEM CELLS IN CORD BLOOD IN COMPARISON TO BONE MARROW.