Stem cell transplants are designed to replace the patient’s unhealthy cells with healthy ones. The most common

sources of these healthy cells are the cord blood and bone marrow.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORD BLOOD & BONE MARROW STEM CELLS

A bone marrow transplant, on the other hand, involves the use of bone marrow that is transplanted from a donor into

the recipient in order to cultivate new stem cells.The marrow itself is a spongy tissue located inside the bones. Most

commonly, marrow is extracted from either the breastbone, skull, hips, ribs or spine, as these contain stem cells

which produce the following types of blood cells: white blood cells (leukocytes), which fight against infection; red

blood cells (erythrocytes), which carry oxygen in order to eliminate waste from the organs and tissue; and platelets,

which are responsible for making the blood clot.

Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) is a potentially

serious complication for any organ transplant. In

fact, it is estimated to be fatal in up to 40% of

patients. However, because cord blood is more

primitive than bone marrow, there is a lower chance

that these cells will attack the recipient’s body,

resulting in a lower evidence of GVHD.

Stem cells are found in greater proportions in

umbilical cord blood. In fact, some experts say it

contains nearly 10 times the amount of stem cells

found in bone marrow.

It is believed that stem cells found in cord blood

have greater regenerative properties since they are

younger than bone marrow.

Stem cell transplants are in high demand, with over

30,000 individuals in line for the procedure each year.

The problem is that waiting for a suitable donor can

often inhibit an individual from having the procedure.

In fact, for this very season, 70% of these individuals

cannot find a matching donor. Unfortunately, for some

individuals, such as those with more severe types of

cancer, this lack of treatment can be fatal. Cord blood

banking, however, helps to alleviate this issue, as

their storage facilities make cord blood readily

available for those in need.

From a donor’s perspective, a cord blood transplant

presents a much less invasive procedure, as the

collection of cord blood stem cells happens directly

after birth from the umbilical cord. Bone marrow

transplants, on the other hand, are invasive

procedures, requiring a general anesthesia so that

bone marrow can be removed from the rear of the

pelvic bone through a series of injections.

Despite the numerous advantages of cord blood

transplants, bone marrow transplants are still

preferred in the case of graft rejection — or a case in

which the recipient’s body attacks the donor’s stem

cells. According to a recent study, some 11% of cord

blood transplants were rejected, while this was the

case in only 2% of bone marrow transplants.

THERE ARE SEVERAL CRITERIA USED TO EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT A CORD BLOOD TRANSPLANT IS THE CORRECT TREATMENT FOR A PATIENT. A TRANSPLANT PHYSICIAN WILL KEEP THE FOLLOWING FACTORS IN MIND:

GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE (GVHD)CORD BLOOD PREFERRED

RICH SOURCE OF STEM CELLS CORD BLOOD PREFERRED

GRAFT REJECTION BONE MARROW PREFERRED

REGENERATIVE SOURCE CORD BLOOD PREFERRED

AVAILABILITY CORD BLOOD PREFERRED

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) is a marker your immune system uses to recognize foreign cells. HLA tissue types

are inherited, which is why it is recommended that a recipient’s bone marrow donor be a family member (ideally a

brother or sister). This is a problem because 70% of donors do not have a suitable donor in their family. However,

because cord blood stem cells are considered to be “younger” (and therefore more adaptable), there is generally less

need to find an exact HLA match.

HLA MATCHING CORD BLOOD PREFERRED

PAINCORD BLOOD PREFERRED

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT

Cord blood is blood that is collected from an infant’s umbilical cord after delivery, so that it may be tested, frozen,

and subsequently stored in a cord blood bank for future use.

CORD TRANSPLANT