Mother's stem cells save young man's life
A 18-year-old man received stem cells from his mother and a sample of umbilical cord blood from the Shanghai-based China Stem Cell Group on Thursday to treat his life-threatening aplastic anemia.
It was the group’s 5,000th cord blood transplant, a record for China's cord blood banks.
The man, a university student in Yancheng in Jiangsu Province, went to a local hospital last month after suffering symptoms of skin bruises and fever. He was confirmed with aplastic anemia and transferred to a hospital in Suzhou.
The patient’s condition was stabilised but doctors said a stem cell transplant was the only cure and should be done as soon as possible.
His mother donated stem cells, a half-match, and the family also applied for umbilical cord blood from China Stem Cell Group, which found a match donated by a Suzhou resident.
The use of umbilical cord blood can streamline the successful transplant of partially-matched stem cells from the mother and reduce rejection.
The transplant was a success but it will take weeks to confirm the final results. If everything goes smoothly, the man can regain his health and resume his life and studies, doctors said.
A sample of matched umbilical cord blood was sent to Suzhou on Thursday to help save a young man suffering aplastic anemia.
