Cord Blood Stem Cells a perfect cure for Leukemia

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Cord Blood Banking allows you to preserve your newborn baby’s cord blood and use the stem cells found in it in future if a need arises. These stem cells can be used in the treatment of more than 80 diseased conditions. More conditions continue to be researched due to ever increasing stem cell preservation benefits.

What is Leukemia?

Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells, which involves multiplication of malignant White Blood Cells (WBCs). These abnormal cells do not function in the same way as normal WBCs, they continue to grow, divide and accumulate very quickly eventually crowding out the normal blood cells leading to difficulty in fighting infections, controlling bleeding, and transporting oxygen.

Symptoms

Tiredness, easy bruising, and susceptibility to infections are the major symptoms. Acute leukemia requires fast and aggressive treatment.

Prevalence of Leukemia in India

In low- and middle-income countries more than 250,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year have limited access to curative treatment, and only about 25% survive. An estimated 67,870 deaths have resulted from blood cancer in 2015. According to a report from National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP), in India cancer is the 9th common cause of death among children between 5 to 14 years of age.

Table 1: Childhood Cancer Incidence in India (AAR: Age-adjusted rates of incidence) (Data source: NCRP report)

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Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant – Cure for Leukemia

Normal blood cells develop from stem cells that have the potential to regenerate and form many cell types. Cord blood for transplants is collected from the umbilical cord after a newborn baby is delivered. The stem cells from this cord blood are extracted in a Cell Processing Centre and preserved in -196ᵒ C liquid nitrogen tanks for future use.

Stem cell transplants which use the patient’s own stem cells are called “autologous transplants”. One can even use donor stem cells, they may come from either a related or unrelated matched donor, and this is called an “allogeneic transplant”. Most transplant physicians would not want to use a baby’s own cord blood to treat his or her leukemia. This is because donor stem cells might better fight the leukemia than the child’s own stem cells. Considering the high prevalence of leukemia, cord blood stem cell preservation benefits and curative uses of cord blood stem cells, it is evident that cord blood stem cell banking is important. Babycell understands that every family should stand a chance to treat their children, to help such patients Babycell has a Sibling Program. In case you have a child diagnosed with a

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blood disorder your next baby’s cord blood stem cells can be used to cure your child under this Babycell collects, processes and stores your upcoming child’s cord blood stem cells free of cost for 5 years. Due to stem cell preservation benefits and development in technology it can definitely create a healthier, disease free society. Expecting parents must ensure that they opt for cord blood stem cell banking of their upcoming baby as this is one time opportunity. Babycell achieved its ISO certification in the first year itself; by the second year of operations they received GMP, GLP and GCP certifications. Babycell also provides value added services like new born screening (NBS), CFU assay- to test the ability of stem cells to differentiate, HLA testing, Father’s wellness program and more.

 

Fast facts about childhood cancer and stem cell transplantation

  • Cancer is the 9th common cause of death among children between 5 to 14 years of age in India
  • More than 250,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, Out of which there are 50,000 new childhood cancer cases in India Of these, 30-40% are leukemia and lymphomas, 20% are brain tumours and 1% retinoblastomas (eye cancer)
  • Only about 25% survive as they have limited access to curative treatment
  • An estimated 67,870 deaths have resulted from blood cancer in 2015
  • Prevalence of childhood cancer has doubled in last one decade. In 2006 childhood cancers were 2.5% of the total number of cancer cases and today, they add up to 5.5%. Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai alone treats 2,000 new pediatric cancer cases annually.

Current Treatment for childhood cancer

  • Current treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy. These are expensive and a temporary solution with a chance of disease relapse.
  • Often a combination of Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Transplantation offers a 100% cure for childhood cancers.

Stem Cell Transplantation

  1. A stem cell transplant can take a few days or months to complete. The process begins with treatment of high doses of chemotherapy, this treatment goes on for a week or two. Once it is successfully done, patient is allowed to rest for a few days
  2. Patient then receives the stem cells through an IV catheter. This process is like receiving a blood transfusion. It takes 1 to 5 hours to receive all the stem cells.
  3. After receiving the stem cells, patient is set for a recovery phase. During this time the stem cells received to start making new blood cells.

Till date 1 million stem cell transplants are done worldwide,  more than 50% have been performed in children

Reference

  • http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Childhood-cancers-double-in-a-decade/articleshow/18411692.cms
  • http://www.cankidsindia.org/incidence-of-childhood-cancer.html
  • http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/stem-cell-transplant

Importance of Vaccination in India

Immunization is the process of one’s immune system fortifying itself against attacks by foreign antibodies. When we sniff dust, we sneeze. Same is with the way the immune system functions. When the body senses any agents of a foreign nature, it responds with a solution to get rid of the agents. When it finds the right formula, it stores that information for when there is a need to find a solution again, but this time around much quicker than the last. This is called immunological memory. Thus, when you expose one to a strand of virus or foreign agent in controlled conditions, the body quickly learns to adapt and defend itself from future attacks. This is called active immunization.

Because of advances in medical science, your child can be protected against more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once killed thousands of children, have been eradicated completely and others are close to extinction– primarily due to safe and effective vaccines. Eradication of Polio is one example of the great impact that vaccines have shown in India.

Parents want to do everything possible to make sure their children are healthy and protected from preventable diseases. Vaccination is the best way to do that.

Vaccination protects children from illness and complications of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, and cough, which are still a threat when it comes to disease progression.

Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals. Vaccines will involve some discomfort and may cause pain, redness, or tenderness at the site of injection but this is minimal compared to the pain and discomfort of the diseases these vaccines prevent.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that licensed vaccines are currently available to prevent or contribute to the prevention and control of twenty-five infections.

The various types of Vaccines are: –

  • Live Attenuated Vaccines
  • Inactivated Vaccines
  • Toxoid vaccines
  • Conjugate Vaccines
  • Subunit Vaccines

Vaccines

  • Birth – 6 weeks
  1. BCG
  2. OPV 0
  3. Hep-B 1

These vaccines must be given to all newborns immediately after birth before they can go home.

  • 6 – 10 weeks
  1. DTP – DTaP vaccine/combinations should preferably be avoided for the primary series. They should be preferred in certain specific circumstances only. No need of repeating/giving additional doses of whole – cell pertussis (wP) vaccine to a child who has completed their primary schedule with cellular pertussis (aP) vaccine-containing products.
  2. Polio – All doses of IPV may be replaced with OPV if administration of the former is unfeasible. No child should leave the facility without polio immunization (IPV or OPV), if indicated by the schedule.
  3. Rotavirus – 2 doses of RV1 and 3 doses of RV5 should be given. RV1 should be employed in 10 & 14 weeks schedule, instead of 6 & 10 week. 10 &14 week schedule of RV1 is found to be far more immunogenic than existing 6 & 10 weeks schedule.
  • 10 – 14 weeks
  1. Rotavirus 2
  2. PCV 2
  3. IPV 2
  4. HIb 2

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  • 14 weeks – 6 months
  1. IPV 3
  2. Hib 3
  3. Rotavirus 3
  4. PCV 3
  • 6 – 9 months
  1. OPV 1
  2. Hep B – The final (third or fourth) dose in the HepB vaccine series should be administered no earlier than age 24 weeks and at least 16 weeks after the first dose.
  • 9 – 12 months
  1. MMR – Measles-containing vaccine ideally should not be administered before completing 270 days or 9 months of life; the second dose must follow in the second year of life. No need to give stand-alone measles vaccine.
  2. Hepatitis A – Single dose for live attenuated H2-strain Hep-A Vaccine. Two doses for all killed Hep-A vaccines are recommended now.

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  • 15 months
  1. MMR – The second dose must follow in the second year of life. However, it can be given at any time between 4-8 weeks after the first dose.
  2. Varicella - The risk of breakthrough varicella is lower if given 15 months onwards.
  • 16 – 18 months to 2 years
  1. The first booster (fourth dose) may be administered as early as 12 months of age, provided at least 6 months have elapsed since the third dose.
  2. DTP – First & second boosters should preferably be of DTwP. Considering a higher reactogenicity of DTwP for certain cases, DTaP as an alternative can be considered for the boosters.

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Need and Benefits of Umbilical Cord Blood Banking to cure Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is considered a neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain injury or malformation that occurs while the baby’s brain is under development. Current treatment centers on the alleviation of symptoms to make cerebral palsy more manageable and does not offer a permanent cure. Infusion of stem cells preserved through umbilical cord blood banking is a proven cure for cerebral palsy and provides permanent relief to the patients.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders that affect movement. It is permanent, but not unchanging, physical disability caused by an injury to the developing brain, usually before birth. Cerebral palsy primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination.

Causes:

For most babies born with cerebral palsy, the cause remains unknown. For a long time, it was believed that cerebral palsy was due to complications at birth, including asphyxia (lack of oxygen). Now, it is generally accepted that cerebral palsy usually arises from a series of events that can lead to an injury in a baby’s developing brain.
In 13 out of 14 cases of cerebral palsy in India, the brain injury leading to cerebral palsy occurs either in the uterus (while the mother is pregnant) or before 1 month of age.

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Risk Factors

  1. Premature birth
  2. Low birth weight (small for gestational age)
  3. Blood clotting problems (thrombophilia)
  4. Inability of the placenta to provide the developing foetus with oxygen and nutrients
  5. RH or A-B-O blood type incompatibility between mother and baby
  6. Prolonged loss of oxygen during the pregnancy or birthing process, or severe jaundice shortly after birth.

Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy in India

According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimation, 10% of the global population has some form of disability due to different causes; in India, it is 3.8% of the population. Nearly 15-20% of the total physically handicapped children suffer from Cerebral Palsy (CP). For India, the estimated incidence is around 3/1000 live births; however, being a developing country, the expected actual figure may be much higher.

Cure of Cerebral Palsy – Stem Cell Transplant

Injection of umbilical cord blood stem cells can help protect or repair damaged nerve cells. Umbilical cord blood stem cells can be collected from the umbilical cord shortly after birth. They are currently being used as a potential treatment for cerebral palsy and are able to support the recovery of damaged nerve cells by releasing substances that stimulate the body’s own repair systems.

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Considering the high incidence of cerebral palsy in India and curative uses of umbilical cord blood stem cells, it is evident that umbilical cord blood banking is important. Babycell is one of the best cord blood banks in India and uses a sophisticated Double Sedimentation Spin (DSS) Technology for the preservation of umbilical cord blood stem cells.