Sydney Cord & Marrow Transplant Facility

 Thanks to the enormous support of the 'Kids with Cancer Foundation', the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick has established Australia’s first Stem Cell facility dedicated to the treatment of children’s diseases. Through the innovative use of non-embryonic stem cells, the Hospital will lead the world in the treatment of children’s cancer. Your contribution has enabled us to build this new facility, without your donation there would be no Stem Cell Facility. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity you have allowed CCC&BD to pave the way forward in this innovative treatment.

Over 850 stem cell transplants have been performed at Sydney Children's Hospital (to 2012) making it the oldest and largest paediatric program in Australasia. The program has nationally lead the way having performed the first cord transplant, first double cord transplant and boasts the longest surviving transplant recipient in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Stem transplant is often the only curative option for paediatric patients with high risk or relapsed cancers and for many non-malignant diseases including immunedeficiency disorders, marrow failure, metabolic diseases and thalassemia. 

Our research team has a broad portfolio aimed at improving successful outcomes through preclinical and clinical initiatives.  Specific barriers including engraftment, infection, graft versus host disease, supportive care, relapse, quality standards and medication safety are key areas ofongoing research.

Kids with Cancer Foundation's enormously generous donation of $500,000 in 2003 to Australia's first stem cell facility, the "Sydney Cord and Marrow Transplant Facility", greatly assisted with the capital funding needed to open this facility. Through the innovative use of non-embryonic stem cells, the Hospital will lead the world in the treatment of children's cancer. Your signification contribution will assist the Hospital conduct crucial research in this area which we hope will mean less time in Hospital for transplant patients, less infection, lower cost and most importantly, improved survival rates for these brave children.

Every year 350 children in NSW are diagnosed with some form of cancer or blood disorder. Bone Marrow and Stem Cell transplants now play a major role in the treatment of cancer and other blood disorders, in particular leukaemia. Produced within the bone marrow, stem cells are valuable in fighting diseases, because of their ability to regenerate the immune system.

Only fifty percent of patients find compatible bone marrow donors from their immediate or extended family or in bone marrow donor registries. The remaining fifty percent of patients must find a suitable unrelated donor in Cord Blood Banks.

One of the greatest risks for any transplant patient is the treatment required prior to the transplant when the patient’s marrow stops producing white cells, red cells and platelets. This period places the patient at life threatening risks of anaemia, haemorrhages and infections. Children who have a bone marrow transplant need multiple blood transfusions, antibiotic therapy and will suffer from painful mouth ulcers during the more than two week period it takes for the new marrow to regrow after the transplant.

Innovations:

The Australian Stem Cell Facility will provide the following groundbreaking initiatives:

• Ability to grow, multiply and expand the number of stem cells available for transplant for children in life threatening situations caused by cancer and other blood disorders.
• By culturing the cells for up to one week prior to the transplant we will increase the cell number and diversity, so that transfusion, infection and mouth ulceration are avoided.
• Significantly reduce the time taken for the new marrow to reach normal functioning in the child having the transplant.
• Greatly reduce the number of patients who die while waiting for a transplant.
• Possibility of transplants being performed on an "Outpatient" basis diminishing the need for children to remain isolated in one room for up to two months.

All this means less time in hospital, less infection, less supportive treatment, lower cost and most importantly, improved survival rates for these brave children

Our research team has a broad portfolio aimed at improving successful outcomes through preclinical and clinical initiatives.  Specific barriers including engraftment, infection, graft versus host disease, supportive care, relapse, quality standards and medication safety are key areas ofongoing research.

Further we have active funded research in law and ethics of decision making around stem cell transplantation and cord blood and educational initiatives to improve understanding for parents, patients and education staff. Professor Glenn Marshall AM

What is Cord blood & how is it used

Cord Blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after delivery of the baby and after the umbilical cord is cut. This blood has provided the baby with nutrition while in the womb but after birth is no longer needed and would normally be discarded. It is collected from the umbilical cord vein in an average volume of about 90mL. This collection is performed without disturbing the normal delivery practice and is therefore not harmful to the mother and baby.

The cord blood is rich in blood stem cells. These stem cells are the building blocks for blood cells. They are normally found in the bone marrow, which can perpetually produce the blood cells found in the circulating blood (white cells, red blood cells and platelets). Cord blood can be frozen and stored (banked) for over 20 years without loss of potency to the blood stem cells. Cord blood is therefore an alternative source of blood stem cells to bone marrow.

Bone marrow transplantation is a curative treatment for many otherwise fatal diseases such as cancer (including leukaemia and lymphoma), immune deficiency, aplastic anaemia and thalassaemia. The problem is the bone marrow donor has to be compatible and the white cells rigorously matched in their tissue type (the equivalent to ABO blood groups on red cells). Only about half the patients needing a bone marrow transplant can find a suitable compatible donor. Cord blood stem cells do not need such rigorous matching, making cord blood a versatile option for stem cell transplant.

During the past 25 years, over 10,000 cord blood transplants have been undertaken in both children and adults. Initially cord blood transplants were performed as a last resort for patients where there was no compatible bone marrow donor and the patients would have died without a transplant. However, there were survivors, and now, over 25 years later, and with increasing experience, it is clear that cord blood transplantation is not a last resort treatment but an alternative to bone marrow, and in many situations the preferred option.

Cord Blood Transplant is a curative treatment for diseases such as:
• Immune deficiency
• Acute and chronic leukaemia's
• Some haematological malignancies
• Blood diseases such as Aplastic and Fanconi Anaemia
• Metabolic Storage diseases
• Thalassaemia

More diseases are being treated with Cord Blood Transplant. Consult your Haematologist or Oncologist for additional information.