Since 1988, year the first successful use of UCB to treat aplastic anemia, stem cells are using for the treatment of leukemia and childhood cancer, as and hereditary blood diseases like thalassemias. Since 1995 UCB has the same applications as bone marrow, Jenney et al 1995, Lancet 346 (8980), 921-2, with more advantages as they are aroused from the young age of the cells.
Since 2006, according of announcement of European Group of Blood and Marrow, UCB is used for autologus transplantation for immune diseases, like juvenile arthritis, lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis, Bone marrow trans 2006, 37(5): 434-449.
The possibility today for someone to use his own stem cells throughout the whole course of his/her life is 1:200, Nietfeld et al 2008, Bio Blood Marrow Transl 14 (3), 316-322. This analogy in 1997 only for patients who suffered from hematopoietic system diseases and for ages under 20 years old, was 74:200000.
According to a study published by the University of Arizona today one in three patients over 60 may benefits from the new applications of stem cells with his own cells for the therapy of cardiovascular, ophthalmologic, orthopedic, neurologic and endocrine diseases, Harris et al; 2007, Exper Opin Biol Biological Therapy 7 (9), 1311.The above possibilities can be doubled if the flesh blood relatives are included.