
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 5, 1990                   TAG: 9005050374
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Medium

NEWBORN COULD SAVE BROTHER FROM LEUKEMIA

A newborn girl may be the savior of her 4-year-old brother who has leukemia, doctors said Friday after preliminary tests indicated the newborn may be a compatible bone marrow donor for her brother.

"The preliminary report is she is a match, but that is only the results from two of four tests," said Dr. Rebecca Byrd, director of hematology and oncology at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters.

Four weeks ago, Michael Sancilio was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia. Tuesday, Christina Grace Sancilio was born, giving Michael a chance at life.

According to Byrd, Michael's leukemia is found in only 1 percent of all children with the disease. His life expectancy is eight to 10 months.

The only known cure is a bone marrow transplant. None of his family is compatible, so his parents are resting their hopes on Christina. Byrd said there is a 90 percent chance Christina will be a perfect match.

Doctors also are considering a second, experimental treatment for Michael. Blood from the umbilical cord at Christina's birth was taken to Indiana University where certain cells called stem cells will be cultured.

Newborns are born without bone marrow. These stem cells are responsible for producing the bone marrow in the baby's first nine months. If a sufficient number of stem cells can be cultured in the lab, researchers are considering injecting them into Michael's heart.

Scientists hope the stem cells will act in the same manner as they would in a newborn and produce healthy bone marrow in the boy.

The treatment has never been tried on a leukemia patient, and Byrd was skeptical about it.

by CNB