There are a number of diseases that are already being treated through cord blood stem cell transplants. This is a procedure that is still being extensively researched and investigated, and it is likely that cord blood stem cell transplantation will become commonly used for a vast range of conditions and illnesses. However, in order for this miraculous procedure to lead the way into the future of treating many life-threatening diseases, it is essential that parents-to-be realize the importance of saving this valuable cord blood rather than allowing it to go to waste.

As more and more parents start to bank their baby’s cord blood, both research and use of the valuable, young stem cells within the cord blood is likely to increase. Even now, with research and awareness of cord blood stem cells in its early stages, there are a number of diseases being treated through this procedure. These include:

Cancer

A number of cancer types have already been treated with cord blood stem cells, and the variations are likely to increase as research and education about cord blood develops. Current cancer types include:

§         Acute Leukemia (lymphoblastic and myelogenous)

§         Burkitt’s Lymphoma

§         Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

§         Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

§         Neuroblastoma

§         Liposarcoma

§         Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (including juvenile)

§         Myelomonocytic Leukemia (including juvenile)

Bone Marrow Abnormalities

Abnormalities with the bone marrow have proven both debilitating and fatal for many people in the past. However cord blood stem cells is now being used to help many of the people that would otherwise have suffered. Disorders include:

• Anemia (Severe Aplastic, Diamond-blackfan, and Fanconi)
• Dyskeratosis Congenita
• Kostmann’s Syndrome
• Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia

Blood Abnormalities

Cord blood stem cells have also been used to successfully treat blood abnormalities that can decrease quality of life and can also prove fatal. These include:

§         Sickle-cell Anemia

§         Cooley’s Anemia

Metabolism Abnormalities

There are a number of metabolism disorders that have been identified as treatable through cord blood stem cell transplants. These are:

• Adrenoleukodystrophy
• Batten Disease
• Krabbe Disease
• Lesch-Nyhan Disease
• Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome
• Hunter Syndrome
• Hurler Syndrome
• Gunther Disease

Immunodeficiency Disorders

Cord blood stem cells can be used to treat a number of immunodeficiency disorders that could otherwise prove debilitating or fatal to sufferers. These include:

• Omenn’s Syndrome
• Severe Combined Immune Deficiency
• Thymic and Reticular Dysplasia
• Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
• Lymphoproliferative Disease
• Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency

These are some of the diseases and conditions that are being treated through cord blood stem cell transplant. As with any treatment, there is no guarantee that the treatment will work on any given disease. However, research and tests carried out so far have proven very positive.