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When parents are deciding whether to bank their children’s cord blood stem cells for family use, many consider when – if ever – they’ll be needed. Because a decision made today can have a significant impact on tomorrow, it’s important to know the facts about stem cell usage.
Although need can never be predicted absolutely, doctors and parents can evaluate reasonable odds and make informed decisions by considering:
- historical data and stem cell transplantation trends;
- current research; and
- stem cell impact on future medicine.
Current Uses: What historical data and trends indicate for potential use.According to clinical data published by a group of independent scientists, at least one in every 1,666 people will need a hematopoietic stem cell transplant by age 20 and one in 217 by age 70.1But future need could be much higher. The research behind the data excluded emerging treatments, assumed everyone in need of a donor received a transplant and considered only the most common cancers.
There are a number or sources for hematopoietic stem cells used in transplantation, including bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood.
Cord blood is currently the fastest-growing source. To date, approximately 20,000 cord blood transplants have been performed worldwide.2 And although the number of cord blood transplants is growing rapidly, access to a cord blood unit for treatment is not guaranteed – a worthy consideration in the decision making process.
Emerging Treatments: What current research reveals.Regenerative medicine is an area drawing much research attention. For example, cerebral palsy and juvenile diabetes in children are serious conditions with limited treatment options available today. Each year 10,000 babies and infants are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy3 and more than 15,000 children – 40 per day – are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the U.S. 4 The completion of Phase I human clinical trials to treat cerebral palsy and juvenile diabetes have demonstrated safety using a child’s own cord blood. There are now ongoing Phase II trials to understand the effectiveness of these treatments.
Nearly three out of four (73 percent) of the cord blood units ViaCord released in 2009 were for use in these studies, evidence of growing demand. Participation in these studies was possible only because the patients in need had access to their own cord blood.
Those interested can read more about these treatments in past posts to see how they’ve already helped Katie and Lillian.
Looking Forward: What the future holds.With cord blood stem cell transplantation rising, and as scientists continue to test and research new applications, it is quite likely that cord blood will have even more uses in the future.
We still have much to learn about the potential applications for cord blood, but the value of cord blood as a rich source of stem cells in the treatment of nearly 80 diseases today is clear. What remains unclear is why an estimated 95 percent of cord blood is routinely discarded as medical waste without full appreciation for current and future uses.
It’s important to know your options and to be informed. Reading this post is a step towards doing just that.
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