Why are Stem Cells so important in the field of Medicine?

In the 1960s, blood stem cells were first used in the fight against cancer. Blood stem cells from the Bone Marrow were used in Bone Marrow Transplants (BMT) for patients with leukemia.

In the initial years, this treatment modality was not very successful but in subsequent years and decades, BMT (now collectively known as Stem Cell Transplant or SCT) became a life-saving treatment option in the fight against leukemia and various other types of cancers/blood disorders. Due to the need for stem cells, research and development led to the discovery of stem cells in cord blood and hence, Cord Blood Transplants.