February 10, 2006 --

Ben Swann-KFOX Morning News Anchor/Reporter

Bone marrow transplants traditionally have given hope to patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other serious blood diseases. It can be a long and difficult process, from finding a matching donor to reducing the recipient's risk of infection.

Now doctors are trying to make the process easier and safer through research involving blood cells from donated umbilical cords.

It is estimated that 35,000 adults and children with life-threatening illnesses could benefit from bone marrow transplants each year.

Researchers are working to make the benefits of stem cells from umbilical cords an option for more of those waiting for bone marrow transplants.

Cord blood stem cells hold great promise because they can fight diseases similar to transplanted bone marrow, but these immature cells are less prone than bone marrow to produce graft-versus-host disease, the major and often fatal side effect of such transplants.

Nine year-old Taylor Diaz had severe aplastic anemia, which caused her bone marrow to quit functioning. After a year of constant blood transfusions, Taylor received a cord blood transplant and now she is doing well.

"It's supposed to help your bone marrow work and while cells fight off infection," said Diaz.

Since there are fewer stem cells from one cord than the amount in a bone marrow transplant, researchers are studying ways to expand the stem cells, multiplying them in the lab. Dr. Elizabeth Shpall directs the cord blood bank at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

"So our goal is to try to expand the cord outside the body first. To grow up the cells so that when we infuse it, it will engraft more quickly. More like a bone marrow in two to three weeks. That's what we're working on in this laboratory," said Shpall.

Having more cells for an infusion means the patient's immune system bounces back faster, reducing the risk of serious infections.

4 million babies are born in the U.S. every year, and most of the umbilical cord blood is simply thrown away. Banking cord blood in public registries gives hope for more people like Taylor waiting for a transplant.

"When I get platelets and blood, I'd be tiredwhen I get the blood. I feel a lot better since my transplant," said Taylor.

If you would like more medical news, visit our health partners Web sites:

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: http://www.mdanderson.org/

The Mayo Clinic:http://www.medicaledge.org

Baylor College of Medicine:http://public.bcm.tmc.edu/