Cells From Umbilical Cords Offer Hope For Cancer Patients With Rare Blood
The blood cells don't need to be a perfect match, so a patient who may have previously died waiting for a donor now has a much higher chance of survival.
The Washington Post:
There’s New Hope For Blood Cancers, And It Comes From Umbilical Cords
Jessie Quinn of Sacramento was 36 years old when loss of appetite, weight loss, some eye issues and finally pelvic pain sent her to the emergency room in 2010. Tests quickly revealed she had acute myeloid leukemia — a type of blood cancer that progresses quickly — and doctors told her that chemotherapy would probably not be enough; she would need a bone-marrow transplant. Quinn, who has a science background, knew that finding a donor would be difficult. In college, she had donated to a bone-marrow registry after learning that people like her, with a mixed racial heritage, have a much harder time than others finding a match. (Berger, 9/5)