| Abstract: |
Cord blood (CB) extends the availability of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to patients with no suitable adult donors, particularly those of ethnic minorities. With the growth of the worldwide CB Inventory most patients will have several potential adequately matched CB units (CBU); still, selection of the most appropriate CB graft for transplantation remains a complex decision since there are many considerations related to the CBU, the patient's disease and clinical condition as well as the type of transplant to be performed. This review aims to address the several aspects of CBU selection, including assays to evaluate the quality/potency of the graft, interactions between CBU total nucleated cells dose and HLA mismatch, selection of CBU with "permissible" mismatches, and evaluation of other graft characteristics important for the safety and overall outcomes of CB transplantation. Clearly, no selection algorithm "fits all," and transplant centers need to develop their own procedures based on their specific studies as well as their results of post-thaw CBU evaluation and outcomes. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
