Cord Blood Cord Blood Diseases and Treatments

Question 1

Which form of childhood leukemia was one of the first diseases successfully treated with cord blood transplantation?

Accepted Answer

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

Answer

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), particularly in children, was among the first malignancies treated with allogeneic cord blood transplantation as a curative approach.

Question 2

How does cord blood transplantation help patients with sickle cell disease?

Accepted Answer

It replaces the sickling red blood cells with donor-derived normal red blood cells

Answer

Cord blood transplantation replaces the patient's defective hematopoietic stem cells with healthy donor cells, leading to production of normal hemoglobin and a potential cure for sickle cell disease.

Question 3

What is beta-thalassemia major and how does cord blood transplantation address it?

Accepted Answer

A hemoglobin disorder caused by absent or reduced beta-globin production, cured by replacing defective stem cells with healthy donor cord blood

Answer

Beta-thalassemia major is a severe inherited hemoglobin disorder caused by mutations in the HBB gene; allogeneic cord blood transplantation can replace defective stem cells with healthy donor cells, potentially curing the disease.

Question 4

What is Fanconi anemia and why is cord blood transplantation preferred for its treatment?

Accepted Answer

An inherited bone marrow failure syndrome with DNA repair defects; cord blood is preferred due to its lower GVHD risk and tolerance of HLA mismatches

Answer

Fanconi anemia is an inherited DNA repair disorder causing bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition; cord blood transplant is preferred because patients are hypersensitive to conditioning agents and benefit from the lower GVHD rates of cord blood.

Question 5

Which metabolic storage disorder affecting the brain is treated with cord blood transplantation to halt neurological progression?

Accepted Answer

Krabbe disease (globoid cell leukodystrophy)

Answer

Krabbe disease is a fatal lysosomal storage disorder; cord blood transplantation in newborns before symptom onset can halt neurological deterioration by providing healthy enzyme-producing cells.

Cord Blood Practice Test

Cord Blood Practice Test

Cord Blood Cord Blood Diseases and Treatments