Study documents stunning impact of poverty on cell function, transplants

A surprising University of Minnesota study of stem cell transplants found that cancer patients were more likely to die if the cells they received came from donors who lived in poverty or low socioeconomic neighborhoods. The findings could one day influence how donors and recipients are matched, if other studies verify the link between donor poverty and transplant mortality, said Dr. Lucie Turcotte, a U. of Minn assistant professor who researches cancer treatment outcomes. But the findings already show the dramatic impact that socioeconomic status has on personal health. If poverty can degrade stem cells enough to undermine the success Read More