Facts instead of fiction

Since the first successful umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation in 1988, we have now seen approximately 15,000 transplants in total. Currently about 3,000 transplants are performed each year, meaning that we can safely speak of a medical standard. But irrespective of all the successes and positive developments in this form of treatment the topic is being discussed at many levels and is still frequently misunderstood.

Below are some of the most common 'myths' surrounding stem cells.

Storing stem cells is simply not worth it.

According to today’s knowledge, medical scientists believe there is a high probability that a child will use stem cells from their own umbilical cord blood later on in life. It is at least 1/400 – and growing.(10)

Umbilical cord blood cannot be conserved for a long time.

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood which have been properly prepared for storage may get older than we do. All research up to now suggests that cryopreserved cells have virtually unlimited viability. This means that it is likely that they can be kept deep-frozen until we need them. Cryo-Save is totally committed to cryopreservation research.

Umbilical cord blood can only be used for children.

Of course, adults can also be treated with umbilical cord blood, and in fact, they currently make up the majority of patients. Sometimes the amount available is not sufficient and the doctor needs to use additional stem cells from a different source. As far as regenerative medicine is concerned, the amount of stem cells is less relevant. Even a small amount could be sufficient to activate the regeneration of tissue.

If umbilical cord blood is donated, it will be returned if your own child should need it.

Only 30-50% of all donations are actually stored in a public bank, the rest are discarded. Consequently, there is no guarantee that your own donation will be available at all. Even if it has not been destroyed, it cannot be guaranteed that it has not been given to someone else the moment your child needs it. Private storage is the only way this can be ensured.

No umbilical cord blood is required for stem cells. In the end, everyone can receive bone marrow.

It would be nice if it were that easy. It is true that bone marrow does contain stem cells. However, these age in the same way as the body, potentially losing both their vitality and usefulness and could be affected by the same diseases as the rest of the body (e.g. type II diabetes). In contrast, stem cells from the umbilical cord are young, fresher and relatively unaffected by diseases, thus offering much more flexibility. The umbilical cord also contains a wider range of stem cell types than bone marrow.

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