Double umbilical cord blood transplantation in adults

Abstract

The first successful cord blood transplant was reported in 1989 in a child with Fanconi's anemia. Over the last 18 years, there has been a dramatic growth in the use of cord blood as an alternative stem cell source for patients without matched related or unrelated bone marrow donors. Initially, the majority of transplants were performed in children. Recently, the results in adult cord blood transplantation appear promising.We will address in this chapter outcome data for adult cord blood transplantation, with an emphasis on new techniques using double or sequential cord blood transplantation. New indications for cord blood use outside of hematology/oncology will also be explored. © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2009.