Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using umbilical cord blood progenitors:: review of current clinical results

Umbilical cord blood ( CB) has been rapidly established as an alternative source of stem cells to bone marrow for allogeneic- related and unrelated hematopoietic transplantation. To date, almost 70 000 CB units are available for transplantation and more than 2000 CB transplants ( CBT) have been performed, mostly in children, for the treatment of a variety of malignant and nonmalignant conditions. Consider able experience has been rapidly accumulated in this field and many aspects of CBT have been elucidated, while other questions remain unresolved. A concise review of the clinical results achieved after related and unrelated CBT is presented and discussed.