Directed sibling donor cord blood donation in the Chilean Public Health System

Abstract

Introduction: Cord blood (CB) as a source of Hematopoietic Stem Cells for Transplantation (HSCT) is well established. Worldwide, nonetheless, less than 10% of the CB HSCTs are performed with a match sibling donor. Since 2004, the Chilean National Childhood Cancer Program (PINDA) network, has established a CB directed donation program for HSCT.

Patients and Method: An observational, descriptive and retrospective study was designed to assess the number and characteristics of the CB units collected in the program as well as the number, clinical characteristics and follow-up of the patients who received an HSCT from those CB units between January 2004 and October 2018.

Results: Sixty CB units have been collected; 55 of them with full records and stored. The median volume collected was 74.8 ml (30.0-170.8), the median number of total nucleated cells was 7.6 x 10e8 (2.0-21.1), and the median of CD34+ cells was 1.6 x 10e6(0.2-11.6). Four high-risk leukemia patients received HSCT, all of them developed severe complications after transplantation and one patient died due to relapse. Those patients currently alive have a 100% Karnofsky/Lansky score. The median follow-up time was 8 years.

Conclusion: The PINDA program has allowed 4 patients to be transplanted who otherwise would not have had access to a donor. This directed donation program could be seen as a model for the development of a public cord blood bank in Chile.