The Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB)
performed its 100th unrelated cord blood transplant seven years after it first
opened in 2005.
The
only public cord bank in South East Asia facilitated the procedure on an adult
suffering from the blood disorder Myelodysplastic Syndrome, which is caused by
a lack of red blood cells.
Since
its first procedure on a toddler with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, the
SCBB has performed unrelated blood stem cell transplants for a total of 45
children and 55 adults in Singapore and overseas.
A
national broadcaster reported that bank is now hoping for more donors to come
forward to increase transplant rates for ethnic minority groups.
In a
statement to AsiaOne, the SCBB said that 65 to 80 per cent of Asian patients
world-wide are unable to find a suitable cord blood stem cell match to treat
their diseases due to a lack of donors with Asian lineage.
"With
only a one in four chance match, or 25 per cent, amongst siblings, patients
would soon succumb to their diseases should this life-saving resource be
unavailable," it said.
Cord
blood is a rich source of self renewing blood stem cells that can give rise to different
matured blood cell type. Cord blood stem cells have been proven to be
effectively treat blood related cancers and genetic and metabolic disorders.
YourHealth,
AsiaOne
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