Quality of long-term cryopreserved umbilical cord blood units for hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of long-term cryopreserved umbilical cord blood (CB) units for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The recovery of the number of total nucleated cell (TNC), hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs; CD34+ cells, colony-forming units-granulocyte/macrophages [CFU-GMs]), and the percentage of viable cells, CD34+ CD38- cells, and CD34+ CXCR4+ cells of CB units cryopreserved for 10 years for HCT were examined. Eighteen CB units cryopreserved for 10 years (as the study group) and for 1 month (as the control group), respectively, were analyzed.

A prospective study of a long-term follow-up of an observation program for neuroblastoma detected by mass screening.

Background: A nationwide mass screening for neuroblastoma (NBL) in 6-month-old infants (MS6M) was performed in Japan from 1985 to 2003. Favorable biological features were identified for most of the detected tumors; consequently, we began an observation program for selected screened patients in 1993. Here, we report the clinicopathological findings and present status of patients enrolled in our observation program, with the goal of evaluating its usefulness.

Unrelated cord blood transplantation for second hemopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: The Kanagawa Cord Blood Bank (KCBB) reports the treatment of 12 patients who received umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) from unrelated donors as their second hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods: Provided by the KCBB, between February 1997 and September 2000, 12 patients had unrelated CBT as a second HSCT. Six patients were male and six female; nine patients were in malignant, and three were in non-malignant conditions.

Cord blood transplantation from unrelated donors: a preliminary report from the Japanese Cord Blood Bank Network.

As a source for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), cord blood transplantation from unrelated donors (UCBT) is now considered as an acceptable alternative to patients who need unrelated HSCT. To confirm the findings that mismatched UCBT is feasible, we discussed here the results for 477 patients with hematologic malignancies and non-malignancies who were subjected to UCBT coordinated by the Japanese Cord Blood Bank Network (JCBBN). From February 1997 to October 2001, 411 patients with malignancies and 66 with non-malignancies had UCBT through the cord blood bank in the JCBBN; 311 patients had HLA 0-1 mismatched UCBT; 165, had a 2-4 HLA mismatch.

The Japanese cord blood bank network experience with cord blood transplantation from unrelated donors for haematological malignancies: an evaluation of graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis.

Cryopreserved umbilical cord blood (CB) from unrelated donors can restore haematopoiesis after myeloablative therapy in patients with haematological malignancy. We investigated the clinical outcomes of CB transplantation (CBT) with special emphasis on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Patients with haematological malignancies (n = 216) received intensive chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy, followed by transplantation of cryopreserved CB cells from unrelated donors.