umbilical cord blood transplantation
(um-BIH-lih-kul kord blud tranz-plan-TAY-shun)
The injection of umbilical cord blood to restore an individual's own blood production system suppressed by anticancer drugs, radiation therapy, or both. It is being studied in the treatment of cancer and severe blood disorders such as aplastic anemia. Cord blood contains high concentrations of stem cells (cells from which all blood cells develop).