Cancer and Healthy

Cancer, which was supposed to be an incurable disease, can now be cured if detected at the right time. The rapid progress in science and medicine has opened wide vistas for us to treat life-threatening diseases, including AIDS, Neurotic diseases and genetic disorders. In many cases, your doctor may suggest a stem cell medium or a bone marrow transplant, because the possible solution for your illness. In this case, a cord blood transplant can be a good option.

These stem cells are the blood-forming cells of the human body and are widely used in transplants. These cells help the production of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Previously there were only 2 reliable sources of stem cells: bone marrow and peripheral blood. But recently has shown that cord blood is also good and rich source of stem cells. The waste stabbing and blood were usually included in the discarded after the birth of the baby, but now discovered that this cord blood is a very rich source of stem cells which can be easily used in transplants.

During the last decade more than 4,000 cord blood transplants (UCBT) have been performed worldwide. The interest in this form of transplantation has grown dramatically since it gives easy access to an alternative for the treatment of cancer and serious diseases. The first cord blood transplant was done in 1988 about a young patient with cancer. If we look at the tremendous success of this experiment was a regular practice by many doctors to recommend UCBT as the solution for the treatment of a disease.

On the other hand, there are some critics of thinking UCBT that many complications that can occur after a transplant. One of the most common problems that can arise after an allogeneic transplant (Stem cells from umbilical cord blood retrieved from an external donor) is graft versus host disease commonly known as (GVHD). The effects of GVHD can range from mild to severe and sometimes terminated. That is the reason why there is a chance that the doctor might not agree with cord blood transplantation.

The reasons for disapproval are: Many times there might not be enough blood-forming cells in cord blood as a need for a requisite number of stem cells for a successful transplant. Secondly, cord blood cells more time to grow and produce new blood cells and cells to engraft, the patient is at a high risk of infection. Thirdly, there is no scope of getting back-cells from umbilical cord blood of the same unit. But doctors may use another unit or a back-up umbilical cord blood donor adult place.

A cord blood transplantation as Dicey as bone marrow or peripheral blood transplantation. The risk of infection may be higher after a cord blood transplant because of the longer time to be vaccinated. The chance of developing GVHD is low, but the risk is still present. Case History As every patient is different than others, when you consider UCBT for the healing of a problem do the experts in this field before taking a decision.