Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells
Autologous treatment with stem cells from umbilical cord blood
As
umbilical cord blood stem cells have only recently started being stored for autologous use, only a few cases have been documented. Nevertheless, some experience has already been gained (I). In this context, it is worth citing a Report produced in 2003 on behalf of the Dutch government (II): “very extensive experience of autologous and allogeneic transplantations of stem cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood leaves no room for doubt, however, that the results with autologous stem cells from umbilical cord blood will be at least as good”.
Why are autologous stem cells from umbilical cord blood still so little used?
Because umbilical cord blood from the average patient was long ago thrown away. For example: a 60 year old heart patient no longer has access to his or her umbilical cord blood; after all, that would need to have been taken and stored sixty years ago. However, the findings of research conducted with stem cells from bone marrow can be extrapolated to stem cells from umbilical cord blood (III): The latter might even perform better. After all, stem cells from bone marrow age with the individual, while frozen umbilical cord blood stem cells retain their vitality (IV).
How great is the probability that a child will later be able to use stem cells from his or her umbilical cord blood?
A Report (V) that has recent been produced on behalf of the Dutch government calculates that this probability, based on the current status (VI) of medical science, is at least one in six hundred. If allowance is made for future developments, purely in cardiology, the probability increases to one in eight. Although the Report acknowledges the existence of publications that estimate this probability to be lower, it also states that those publications are based on obsolete data. In addition, it should be borne in mind that stem cells can also be used in a close relative (between brothers and sisters, the probability of a full ‘match’ is one in four).
