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Cord blood is a source of stem cells that are used in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer therapy and regenerative therapy. Cord blood obtained by donation can be stored in cord blood banks. How is cord blood obtained and what are the indications for its transplantation? We answer these questions below.
- Cord blood stem cell transplantation is most commonly used in the treatment of cancer
- This therapy also recently helped to cure an American woman of HIV. This is the first woman in the world to be cured of this virus and the third case in history
- Cord blood is blood that can be obtained from the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth
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Cord blood – what is it?
Cord blood is blood that can be obtained from the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth. This procedure is performed because umbilical cord blood is a source of hematopoietic stem cells. These cells have the ability to transform into any blood cells, which is why they are used in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer, hereditary diseases, diseases of the immune system and hematopoietic system.
- Read also: The first woman in the world to be cured of HIV. The stem cell transplant helped
Collecting umbilical cord blood is a non-invasive procedure for the newborn and in most cases safe for both the baby and the mother. The obtained umbilical cord blood can be stored in appropriate conditions even for several dozen years. If there is a need to use it in therapy, a procedure is performed called cord blood transplant.
Cord blood is not the only source of stem cells. Stem cells obtained from bone marrow or peripheral blood are also used in various types of therapeutic therapies.
also check: Blood transfusion – indications, procedure, complications
Stem cells and their sources
Stem cells are a concept that is increasingly appearing in context modern healing therapies. This is because stem cells are a group of cells capable of transforming into other human cells. There are several types of stem cells, including full-potential, multi-potential and organic (adult) cells – the latter group includes hematopoietic cells obtained from umbilical cord blood.
Taking stem cells from umbilical cord blood allows you to obtain the youngest cells for therapy. The collection procedure is also simple and safe for the mother and baby. The more complex procedures are:
- harvesting stem cells from the bone marrow – requires the use of the surgical method by puncture / incision in the area of the iliac plate;
- collection of stem cells from peripheral blood – requires several days of preparation (stimulation of the bone marrow with a growth factor), and then the use of the apheresis method; the proper procedure requires the use of cannulae in both forearms and lasts up to 4-5 hours.
Other places where stem cells can be found include the liver, placenta, teeth, and hair follicles.
Stem cells are also found in adipose tissue and skin. Currently, however, their use is limited to aesthetic medicine treatments and orthopedic therapies.
Read more: Stem cells in orthopedics – how are they used?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of cord blood in therapies?
Cord blood is valued in therapeutic therapies for several reasons. One of them is the ability to quickly obtain it from a cord blood bank – it is much easier to achieve the desired compatibility between the donor and the recipient than in the case of, for example, bone marrow transplantation. An important advantage is the low risk of stem cell transplant rejection from this source and the negligible risk of disease transmission.
Cord blood-derived cells they also stand out biologically. High multiplication capacity of hematopoietic cells from umbilical cord blood, their activity in the cell cycle and the possibility of producing growth factors are desirable.
One of disadvantages of using umbilical cord blood the number of hematopoietic cells is lower than in the marrow and peripheral blood. This may be associated with a higher risk of developing an infection after transplantation. There is also a minimal risk of transmitting a genetic disease that has not been previously diagnosed in the donor.
Also read: Bone marrow – role, diseases, marrow harvesting
What is the use of umbilical cord blood?
Cord blood is used for transplants. Healthy cells contained in this blood reach the recipient’s body and replace damaged or malfunctioning cells of the hematopoietic system. Diseases treated with cord blood transplantation include:
- neoplastic diseases (leukemia, lymphomas, angiomyolipomas, myelodysplastic syndromes);
- bone marrow failure syndromes;
- metabolic diseases;
- congenital immunodeficiencies.
Another potential use for umbilical cord blood is regenerative medicine, which now allows experimental stem cell therapies for incurable diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or autism.
Check: Aesthetic medicine treatments with the use of stem cells – how much do they cost?
The rest of the text is below the video.
What is an umbilical cord blood bank?
Due to the healing potential of umbilical cord blood, it is in storage. It must be stored at very low temperatures, therefore liquid nitrogen is used for this purpose. Blood obtained from donors is stored in cord blood banks. Can distinguish:
- public umbilical cord banks – banks storing blood for non-public purposes, which means that blood is donated by donors for transplants with unrelated recipients; the material for transplantation goes to the public Cord Blood Register and is available to centers around the world;
- private umbilical cord banks – they enable commercial banking, which consists in the storage of umbilical cord blood for future use by a child or family member if there is a need for treatment.
The use of the cord blood bank is not reimbursed – a fee is required, and costs vary from country to country.
How Much Does a Cord Blood Transplant Cost?
Treatment with stem cells is not reimbursed in Poland, therefore the patient pays for the procedure. The costs of the therapy can also be covered by the foundation, and in the case of treating GvHD, also by the hospital. Obtaining umbilical cord blood from a public bank can cost 20-30 thousand. euro. When it comes to storing umbilical cord blood in a private bank, a subscription fee is applied, which may amount to several hundred zlotys per month.
In the case of treatments with stem cells from other sources in orthopedics and aesthetic medicine, the costs of treatment may range from several to several thousand zlotys, depending on the type of therapy and offers of a given clinic.
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