Why bank Blood Stem Cells?

For at least three reasons it may be advantageous to isolate and cryopreserve one’s own blood stem cells as early as possible.

• Like every part of the human body the stem cells age. This does not only affect the number, but also the quality of stem cells, both of which decrease with age. Stem cell transplantations (SCT) with younger stem cells seems to have a higher success rate.
• Collecting and conserving the stem cells before a disease is diagnosed has the advantage that the collection process might be easier and with higher likelihood successful. The patient does not have to undergo the respective collection procedure with a weakened body due to the disease, the stem cells will be young and healthy instead of having been exposed to many cycles of toxic chemotherapy. The prophylactically collected young stem cells will not be contaminated with cancer cells. Not infrequently, this collection process is not possible once the patient is already ill.
• Under certain circumstances – predominantly depending on the underlying disease – autologous SCT is preferable to allogeneic SCT.

Who should bank Blood Stem Cells?

Banking of blood stem cells can be considered for various reasons. Some may wish to conserve their own stem cells at a high-performance age to have young stem cells available if need arises, even though a specific risk for a disease necessitating future SCT is not apparent. They may have high expectations for future therapies that may arise for illnesses other than blood cancers and for which stem cells are used as starting material. Others have identified risk factors, familial or environmental, for illnesses amenable to SCT, such as family members with blood cancers or marrow failure, or exposure to radiation. In either case, stem cell collection while healthy is a preventative measure for a very rare, but potentially catastrophic condition.