Diseases Treated Using Stem Cells

You may want to know why stem cells are so important in treating diseases. A stem cell has the ability to renew itself and recreate other cells. It can become another kind of cell with a special function such as a muscle or a brain cell. It can be used to treat diseases where transplants can help to produce new blood. Here's an overview of the various diseases that can and have been treated using cord blood stem cells.

Leukemia

Leukemia is cancer which begins in the blood cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells when your body needs them. When cells grow old, they die and give way to new cells. Sometimes old cells die but new cells are not formed to take their place. There are also excessive numbers of abnormal white blood cells. Stem cell transplantation helps in producing new red blood cells which help restore the immune system.

Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle cell anemia occurs when there is production of an abnormal type of haemoglobin. This tends to make the red blood cells sticky, stiff and they become curved and sickle shaped. These cells break down rapidly within 10-20 days thus causing anemia. Stem cells are important here as they can replenish the red blood cells thus producing healthy haemoglobin.

Thalassemia

Thalassemia is a blood disorder where the patient is unable to produce haemoglobin as a normal person can. Haemoglobin is required to supply oxygen to all parts of the body. Without oxygen, the organs cannot work properly and therefore regular blood transfusions are required by the patient. Recently cord blood stem cell transplantation has been used to treat this disease so that adequate haemoglobin is produced.

Immune Deficiency

Primary Immune Deficiency is a genetic disease when part of the body's immune system does not function as it should. Secondary Immune Deficiency occurs due to external factors such as chemotherapy, which weakens the immune system.

Hodgkins Lymphoma

This is a cancer that occurs in the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are part of the body's immune and blood forming systems. The main forms of treatment are radiation or chemotherapy. If these methods fail then stem cell therapy is used to restore the immune system.

Cord blood research has shown that other ailments can be treated by stem cell therapy. Spinal cord injuries for instance have been successfully treated using this method. When there is injury to the spinal cord, blood supply is cut off from it, destroying all the neurons and cells. Stem cell therapy helps regenerate the neurons thus aiding partial or even complete recovery.

A stroke destroys some brain cells thus affecting a person's ability to move and speak normally. The ability of stem cells to regenerate into brain cells could provide a cure for strokes as well.

As more cures are discovered by using stem cells, we should support the cause of cord blood banking in order to facilitate such treatment.