Individuals' well-being is the focus of this article. - Rapid stem cell transplantation using a cryo bank for leukemia patients
By utilising cryopreservation, DKMS at Dresden has been storing surplus donated adult stem cells since November 2023 for global use in blood cancer patients. It now takes just a few days from requesting the material to its arrival at the clinic, making transplantations much quicker than before.
Elke Neujahr, Global CEO of the DKMS Group gGmbH, described this as "another vital milestone in our life-saving mission." It significantly improves the chances of survival for blood cancer patients in 60 nations who urgently need a transplant. The stem cell bank currently holds approximately 70 samples in the cryotanks in Dresden.
Cryopreserved stem cells allow a three-day gap between the initial request and transportation to the clinic; this process previously took weeks. Notably, they can be stored even without the donor's presence and are immediately available. This innovation is exceptional worldwide, simple, and ethically uncontroversial, affirmed the medical director of the DKMS Stem Cell Bank. Established initially as an umbilical cord blood bank, it has deep knowledge and proficiency in cryopreservation.
News sources report that numerous donors donate surplus stem cells beyond what a sick individual requires. With their approval, these remaining cells are frozen at -180 degrees Celsius in the gaseous state under liquid nitrogen. Thus, two lives can be saved from a single donation.
DKMS informs that every 27 seconds, someone worldwide receives a blood cancer diagnosis, and every 12 minutes in Germany. For many leukemia patients requiring a stem cell transplant, locating a genetic twin is "a race against time." Approximately one-third of patients find a match within their families; the rest rely on others, where the most compatible tissue markers must match. The earlier a match is discovered and the donation occurs, "the better their chances of survival and long-term recovery."
