Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Excellent news - cord blood from 2 donors are given by an IV to a patient with leukemia or lymphoma, and the new blood stem cells take over. Only one finally survives, but there's no way of knowing which one will be the life-long blood type for the patient.

It looks like these cells are as good or better than a close relative match. Less rejection. Like other bone marrow transplants, no need for anti-rejection meds (they *make* the antibodies that would cause the need for anti-rejection meds and don't turn on them selves. A couple of years ago, the graft-vs-host late-term rejection was less than 7%, compared with 25% for adult bone marrow transplants.

Maybe someone should tell Senator Hatch.

1 posted on 07/09/2005 4:12:14 PM PDT by hocndoc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies ]


To: hocndoc; neverdem; Coleus; cpforlife.org; MHGinTN; Mr. Silverback

I do worry that there will be a call for increased pregnancies and deliveries to increase the supply of cord blood.


2 posted on 07/09/2005 4:14:29 PM PDT by hocndoc (Choice is the # 1 killer in the US)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: hocndoc

I don't pay attention anymore. Too many articles about doctors "ecstatic" over treatments that improve survival by only 2%, or extend a life by 6 just months. That's not hope, that's a tease.

As it is, the new tumor-shrinking drugs are working to shrink tumors- but NOT to improve patient survival in the least. They're just dying with smaller tumors, is the only result. Very disappointing.


5 posted on 07/09/2005 4:40:37 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; afraidfortherepublic; Alas; al_c; american colleen; annalex; ...


9 posted on 07/09/2005 8:07:40 PM PDT by Coleus ("Woe unto him that call evil good and good evil"-- Isaiah 5:20-21)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson