Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : February 3, 2026 12:25 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr. Mamta Pattnayak, MBBS, MD, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Additional Director, Fortis Hospital Gurugram.
World Cancer Day 2026: Stem Cell Therapy for Cancer Treatment - How Cord Blood Banking Can Protect Against 80+ Diseases
World Cancer Day 2026: One of the most significant advances in recent times in the healthcare sector is the use of stem cells to fight and cure certain types of cancer. The reason is easy to understand. Stem cells are the body's master cells, capable of developing into specialized cell types. Additionally, they play a crucial role in tissue regeneration and repair. These qualities make stem cells vital in fighting and safeguarding against certain diseases.
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Dr. Mamta Pattnayak, MBBS, MD, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Additional Director, Fortis Hospital Gurugram, talks about stem cell therapy and how it can help fight cancer and 80+ diseases.
For Indian parents, preserving their child's stem cells is the second most precious gift they can give their newborn. Preserving cells gives the child security from as many as 80 diseases - and counting - for the remainder of their life.
For a child to benefit from stem cells, his or her stem cells must be extracted from the umbilical cord at birth and stored in a reputable stem cell bank. Once they're preserved in a stem cell bank, they become available to the newborn and his or her close relatives, including siblings, for use. Since the child's stem cells are a 100% genetic match, the chance that his or her body will reject a stem cell transplant, should one be needed, drops significantly. Using one's own stem cells also significantly reduces the likelihood of other complications.
Doctors worldwide use stem cells primarily for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to treat certain blood cancers and disorders, such as leukaemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia. During these procedures, damaged or unhealthy stem cells are replaced by healthy ones. These healthy cells may come from the patient's own body or a donor. Crucially, the odds of finding matching stem cells from an unrelated donor may vary from 1 and 10,000 to 1 and 1,000,000 slim odds indeed. On the other hand, when a child's stem cells are preserved at birth, they serve as a repository that's 100% compatible. Furthermore, preserving a child's stem cells benefits siblings and parents. There's an approximately 25% chance that a child's stem cells are a suitable match for their sibling. Furthermore, there's an approximate 50% chance that they'll be suitable for either parent. Hence, preserving a child's stem cells helps guard entire families.
In addition to cancer, they're used to treat genetic and blood-related disorders as well as neurological conditions. Furthermore, researchers are harnessing stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and spinal cord injuries. While these treatments are in the experimental phase, they highlight the optimism with which researchers view stem cells.
Today, hematopoietic stem cell transplants are an approved treatment option for blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and myelodysplastic syndromes. They're also approved for the treatment of bone marrow disorders, including aplastic anemia. In addition, they're used to treat disorders like sickle cell anemia and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
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