Unrelated donor umbilical cord blood transplantation in adults

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has emerged as an appealing alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for unrelated donor transplantation. Shorter time to transplant and an improved chance of finding a suitable graft are evident advantages over bone marrow transplantation from unrelated donors. The majority of UCB transplants from unrelated donors have been performed in children, but the number in adults has been growing steadily in recent years. We review herein the reported experience with that source of hematopoietic stem cells in adults with hematological malignancies. The available data support the use of UCB transplantation from unrelated donors for young adults with hematological malignancies and no appropriate bone marrow donor, especially for those requiring urgent transplantation.