Extending Cord Blood Transplant to Adults: Dealing With Problems and Results Overall
The development of newer strategies to overcome, in particular, the cell dose limitation, has increased the availability of umbilical cord blood (UCB) as a source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) for transplantation of adults. Among these strategies is the development of the double UCB, ex vivo, and reduced-intensity transplantation platforms. Several ongoing registry-based and single-institution and multicenter clinical trials are investigating ways to make UCB transplantation safer and to improve the outcomes of adults after UCB transplantation. We review the background data and promising newer strategies that will further expand the utilization of UCB for the treatment of adults.
aBlood and Marrow Transplant Program, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
bCase Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Address correspondence to Claudio G. Brunstein, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine, Mayo Mail Code 480, 420 Delaware St, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
ABSTRACT