联合早报 © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permissionWith Cord Blood Awareness Month in July, ZB spoke to Dr Tan Lip Kun and A/Prof Koh Liang Piu from the Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute Singapore, on the benefits of cord blood storage and the various medical conditions that cord blood can help to treat.
Dr Tan, who is also Senior Consultant, Haematology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, said cord blood is rich in haematopoietic stem cells and can be used for stem cell transplant for patients with malignant conditions or for non-malignant conditions. It is also a rich source of cells for use in regenerative medicine. The cells are stored in a frozen state and can be accessed years later if a patient needs it.
A/Prof Koh shared that more than 100 cord transplants have been performed in adult patients over the last 16 years. The outcome of transplant is comparable to that of international cord transplant registries with 40-50 per cent long term survival. A/Prof Koh is the Clinical Director, Adult Haematopoietic Cell Transplant Programme, National University Cancer Institute Singapore.
The doctors highlighted the difference between autologous cord blood banking (i.e. for the child's own use) and cord blood banking for allograft (i.e. for others to use). They encouraged public cord blood banking as there is low probability that the donor should ever need or benefit from his/her own cord blood unit.
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