Life Saving Facts

Because we know choosing to save your baby’s cord blood can be a life-saving decision, Insception wants to provide you, your family and healthcare professionals with all the information you may need to help guide your decision. Below are a few facts, which address some common myths and misconceptions about cord blood banking.

Myth:
 "Doctors would never treat the child with his or her own cord blood stem cells because it would contain the disease."

Fact:
Numerous stem cell transplants using one's own cells (autologous stem cell transplants) are performed every year for diseases and cancers, such as, lymphoma, myeloma, and many other types of solid tumors. In April 2001, Jesse Farqharson, a nine-month-old baby, became the first Canadian to recieve an autologous cord blood stem cell transplant.  Jesse was being treated for retinoblastoma (eye cancer) that had spread to his spinal cord. His parent's decision to preserve his cord blood stem cells at birth provided him with his best chance for survival. For diseases such as leukemia, the preference would be from a sibling (related allogeneic) that is a suitable match.

Myth:
"Odds that a family will ever need their banked cord blood stem cells are so low that people shouldn't bother doing it."

Fact:
Considering that the cause of most cancers is unknown, and that the science of stem cell therapy and its potential use is expanding rapidly, it is difficult to accurately calculate the actual odds that a family will use the cord blood. However, according to medical research, the probability that a person may someday need stem cells for current treatments is estimated at 1 in 400. The probability that a newborn or a family member may benefit from banked cord blood stem cells sometime in their life is estimated at 1 in 200.⁹

These probabilities do not include the emerging potential use of stem cells to treat heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and spinal cord injury. The likelihood of your baby using their cord blood for medical intervention at sometime in their life will greatly increase as advancements in stem cells research and treatment continue.

Myth:
"We don’t have a history of cancer in our family, so we won’t need to bank our baby’s stem cells”

Fact:
The causes for most cancers and diseases are unknown. The incidence of certain types of cancer is growing at alarming rates. Parents choose to bank their baby’s cord blood in order to provide themselves and their families with an additional safeguard - just in case. Recent reports indicate that one in 630 children will be diagnosed with cancer by age fifteen.^10,11 However, using stem cells for cancer treatment only reflect current uses and do not consider the increasing applications and promising stem cell therapies. Therefore, potential use of stem cells in other clinical therapies could be limitless.

Myth:
 "I can donate to a public bank and retrieve the cord blood stem cells later if needed."

Fact:
In Canada, we do not have a national public cord blood bank. Insception supports the creation of one and is currently in the process of launching its own.

Eligibility to donate to a public bank is based on the parent’s health history and the existence of a public donation program. Approximately 70% of samples collected do not meet the criteria of a public bank.  

Public donation of stem cells increases the international supply of cord blood samples. When someone requires a stem cell transplant, finding a suitable match can be difficult and time consuming. There is no cost/minimal cost to collect and publicly donate your newborn's cord blood.  However, public banks charge the hospital/provincial health care system approximately $35,000 for each sample released for transplant.

Myth:
 "Cord blood collection takes important blood away from my baby."

Fact:
The placenta and umbilical cord containing the cord blood are normally discarded after the baby is born. Your baby's cord blood is collected before the placenta and cord are discarded. Collections can take place before or after the placenta has been delivered.

Myth:
 "The cells are only viable for 10 years."

Fact:
Current data show that analysis results of cord blood stem cells that have been stored for 24 years have the same results as they did at the time of storage.¹² Cryopreservationists believe there is no "expiration date" for cord blood stem cells; they should remain viable indefinitely.

1.  Marco, F., et al. "High survival rate in infant acute leukemia treated with early high'dose chemotherapy and stem cell support"  Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol. 18, No 18 (september 15), 2000:pp 3256-3261
2.  J. M. Wiley, M.D., et al. "Storage of Newborn Stem Cells for Future Use".Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 89, No. 2, February 1997
3,4.  Pasquini MC, et al. "The Likelihood of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HCT) in the United States: Implications for umbilical Cord Blood Storage". Blood. 2005: 106(11)
5.  Lichtenstein, P., et al. "Environmental and Heritable Factors in the Causation of Cancer". New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;343 (2):78-85.
6.  Reedberg, L. "Cancer Rates for Children Worry Experts". San Francisco Chronicle. September 17, 1997.
7.  Kobylka, P. "Preservation of Immunological and Colony-Forming Capacities of Long-Term (15 years) Cryopreserved Cord Blood Stem Cells Transplantation". 1998;65  (9):1275-1278.
8. Jubert C., et al. "Length of cord blood unit cryopreservatin does not impact hematopoietic engraftment".
9.  J.J. Netfield et al. “US Lifetime probabilities of HSCT”. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2008: 114:316-322.
10.  Aird W., et al. "High-efficiency recovery of functional hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells from human cord blood cryopreserved for 15 years"
11.  Transfusion, January 2000, Vol. 40:1, 124
12.  http://www.stembook.org/node/693