Panama City, Panama
Apollo Hospitals Ahmedabad has introduced the option of autologous stem cell transplant for cancer patients not responding to conventional treatments like chemotherapy, radioactivity, and surgery. The treatment is supposed to be the best treatment for young cancer patients but it is not recommended for patients with too many health complications or older patients.
As her three-year-old daughter Eva fought a particularly vicious form of leukemia, Amy Winston-Hart spent many months preparing for the worst.
An infusion of healthy blood stem cells from a bone marrow donor were apparently all that was needed to cure her condition.
However, not one single compatible donor match was found despite searching through more than 11 million people registered in the world wide donor database.
“It was just terrible,” recalls Amy. “Eva was getting worse and there was nothing we could do to save her.”
More than 500 people waited in line at emergency donor recruitment clinics in the family’s home town of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, after the family spoke to the media and encouraged more bone marrow donors to come forward.
A match still proved to be elusive.
“It was agonizing,” says Amy.
“We were doing everything we could, but as time went by we really thought nothing would be found to save her life.”
After the long wait, Eva underwent the lifesaving treatment a few months ago.
The stem cells came from a baby boy born thousands of miles away from the UK in New Jersey, USA. These were not bone marrow stem cells, but cells extracted from umbilical cord blood.
New cell production can be generated by these immature umbilical cord stem cells.
Even if cord blood stem cells are not fully matched, they are also less likely to trigger immune rejection from the recipient’s immune system.
Eva’s future is now filled with optimism and doctors agree to this as well.
But that’s thanks only to the decision by American authorities to store cord stem cells. Stem cells can be stored at the request of families today, and some American states even require that they are stored. The material was almost always discarded only a few years ago.
The U.S. is also one of a number of countries allowing stored cells to be used by other than the immediate family.
“Thank God the Americans are doing this, otherwise Eva just simply would not be here,” said Amy, 28, who works as a party organizer.
Leukemia is newly diagnosed in 500 children each year.
Leukemia and other related blood cancers like lymphoma afflict another 20,000 adults each year as well.
The latest generation of anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs have fortunately, proven themselves to be effective in treating the condition for many sufferers.
But leaving a transplant of blood stem cells from a matched donor as the only hope, the condition is drug resistant in at least one in five patients.
More than half of the 4,400 people who are diagnosed with leukemia die every year. This is partially because these types of donor matches are extremely rare.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used in hospitals around the world to treat more than 85 other rare diseases. The cells can generate new cell production, a fact that has been known to scientists for the past two decades.
However, due to limited funding, a supply of just 1,200 units for the whole of last year was collected by only three NHS hospitals in Britain.
The National Blood Service defended its modest record of cord blood banking and said the practice of freezing and storing the cells is limited by the funding made available by the Department of Health despite the fact that 95 per cent of new mothers are happy to donate the tissue for general use.
“I just cannot understand it,” said Colin McGuckin, professor of regenerative medicine at Newcastle University’s prestigious Centre
for Life.
“We have shown that these cord blood stem cells can not only save the lives of blood cancer patients but have many other uses as well.
“We have shown it is possible to grow them into pancreatic and liver tissue, as well as nerve cells, but unless we have enough cord blood stored, we can’t really do more research or help people.”
Unless the mother declines, umbilical cord blood from all new babies could be collected routinely by NHS if a bill calling for such action is accepted after it is presented in Parliament this month.
“Britain is lagging behind in recognizing the treatment potential from this source of stem cells,’ said David Burrowes, the MP behind the bill.
“It is ridiculous that we are not exploiting it.”
As an insurance policy against their child developing a disease which could be treated by stem cells a number of private companies already collect and store cord blood for families.
The path to private storage costs the donor
A child will undergo groundbreaking stem cell surgery thanks to a gift of life, courtesy of his newborn baby brother Rhys. Weighing in at a healthy 6 lbs and 6 ozs, Rhys was born last Sunday to his proud parents Julian Emms and his fianc
To investigate if blood flow can be restored to the heart by promoting new blood vessels to grow, University of Florida researchers are planning to test a therapy in which stem cells are injected into the hearts of people with daily chest pain and severe coronary artery disease.
Procedures such as bypass surgery or angioplasty were ineffective on these particular patients. Traditional medications also failed to restore blood flow to the hearts of these individuals.
“The general idea is that by providing these cells of blood vessel origin, we hope to either generate new blood vessels from the growth of these implanted cells or stimulate the heart to regenerate new blood vessels from the cells that reside in it,” Carl J. Pepine, lead author of the study, M.D., chief of cardiovascular medicine at UF’s College of Medicine said.
“It’s not completely clear whether it’s the actual cell itself that would do this or whether it’s just the milieu and the chemical signals that occur from the cells that would result in this,” he said.
The forthcoming double blind, placebo-controlled study is known as the Autologous Cellular Therapy CD34-Chronic Myocardial Ischemia Trial, or ACT34-CMI.
Chronic reductions in blood flow to the heart will be investigated. Particularly, the effectiveness and safety of using a patient’s own stem cells to treat this condition will be the focus of the study. 15 patients are enrolled to determine if the treatment will improve symptoms and long-term outcomes.
Exercise tolerance, improvements in quality of life, and whether or not the heart function improves will all be part of the evaluation.
The study involves a number of screening tests, followed by stem cells extraction. In order for stem cell collection to occur, a series of protein injections are administered to the patients that promote the stem cells release from be bone marrow, and into the peripheral blood.
During a procedure called apheresis, the stem cells which are called CD34+ stem cells, are harvested from the patient. Theses cells help stimulate blood vessel growth said Chris Cogle, an assistant professor of medicine at the UF’s College of Medicine Program in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
A placebo, or one of two different dosing levels of stem cells will be randomly administered to each respective patient.
“Physicians will use a catheter-based electrical mapping system to find muscle they think is still viable but not functioning,” said R. David Anderson, an associate professor of medicine at UF and director of interventional cardiology.
Over the course of a year following the procedure, patients will be periodically evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography.
One trial focuses on patients with congestive heart failure or chronic chest pain that has not responded to traditional treatment, the second trial focuses on patients who have had a heart attack within a week preceding study enrollment, and the third focuses on patients whose heart attack occurred within the preceding two to three weeks.
The cure for devastating diseases such as Parkinson’s may reside in waste material. To be precise, the human umbilical cord, which is often discarded after birth. The stem cells which are found in the umbilical cord blood may play a pivotal role in curing Parkinson’s.
With the hopes of finding a cure, Craig Cady, who is a biology professor at Bradley University, researches stem cells found in bone marrow and umbilical cords.
On Sunday, the riverfront played host to the Shake, Rattle & Roll for Parkinson’s fundraiser. Cady attended the event.
“What we’re trying to do is influence stem cells to change and function like neurons,” he said. “The concept is to replace damaged neurons that were destroyed by Parkinson’s.”
With no specific function, stem cells are unspecialized cells that hold enormous potential. With the ability to develop onto different cells and tissues, such as neurons in the brain, stem cells can be manipulated to provide therapeutic benefit to patients.
“We are getting very close to clinical trials,” he said. “We’re within five years of reasonable clinical trials where we actually try it on patients.”
The group Calipso Connection sponsored the annual event which drew a crowd of several hundred people. Calipso stands for Central Illinois Advocates for Lives Interrupted by Parkinson’s Support Organization.
After struggling with the disease herself, President Joan Snyder started the fundraiser six years ago.
“I thought this was a piece of cake disease,’ she said. ‘Then suddenly the full force of the disease hit me and I had brain surgery.”
During her second brain surgery, a blood vessel was touched and she had stroke on the operating table.
“After the stroke it took me seven months to recover,” she said. “During that time I decided if anyone does anything about this … disease, it would have to be me.”
An estimated $20,000 is expected to be raised by the event.
Cady’s research, and the Peoria Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation are two central Illinois institutions which will benefit from the funds.
“The more funds and support we have, the faster we can do the research,” Cady said. “It takes time and it takes money, unfortunately.”
Now Calipso treasurer, the 42-year-old Troy Webb was diagnosed with Parkinson’s two years ago.
“I decided I wanted to get involved to help find a cure,” he said. “It started slowing my fine motor skills on the right side of the body.”
Doing work that involves a lot of computer use and typing, Webb is a purchasing agent for a chemical company.
“It’s getting harder to type and use a mouse,” he said. “I’m in the process of purchasing voice-activated software so I don’t have to type as much.”
He hopes volunteering with groups like Calipso will help find new treatments and possibly cures for Parkinson’s patients in the future.
A monumental statewide education program that includes over 500,000 Catholic homes and nearly 800 parishes has been launched by the state’s diocesan bishops in Michigan. The Michigan Catholic Conference’s efforts are directed at communicating the Church’s teaching on human life as it relates to adult and embryonic stem cell research.
Paul A. Long, who is the Conference’s Vice President for Public Policy, said that the central messages of the internal education program focuses on the church’s support for adult stem cell research. And their opposition towards embryonic stem cell research is based on the fact it compromises their message.
“Medical science, along with people from different faith and political backgrounds, has recognized that human cloning and the destruction of living embryos for research purposes may not be the most promising way to move forward with stem cell research. Yet because of the great deal of attention given to unproven embryo destructive research, partly through misinformation and even deceit, necessary funding for and the promotion of adult stem cell research have been nearly non-existent. Many people are unaware that adult stem cells are located throughout the human body and are providing treatments, even cures, without harming the donor person,” said Long.
Every registered Catholic home in the state has been sent a 12-minute DVD and a brochure that all emphasize the Church’s support for adult stem cell research along with a letter signed jointly by the state’s diocesan bishops. The materials align with the Conference’s internal education program which has been themed, “The Science of Stem Cells: Finding Cures and Protecting Life.”
According to the bishops’ letter:
“Catholics have the right and duty to assist all who are suffering, and medical science, through adult stem cell research and its proven track record of success, has opened a door of hope. We urge you and your family to spend a few moments reviewing the enclosed material and learning more about the ways by which we can find cures and protect life.”
On Respect Life Sunday, which is October 7th, every parish in the state has been encouraged by its diocesan bishop to address the issue of stem cell research. Sample bulletin announcements, a question and answer document, in addition to the aforementioned brochure and DVD have been distributed to each parish courtesy of the Conference. Also distributed to parishes across the state, were the Conference’s FOCUS essay. Approximately 250,000 copies of the document which addresses the public policy of stem cell research have been distributed.
Educational materials have also been distributed to fraternal organizations, charity agencies, schools, universities, and Catholic hospitals.
Patients who have made significant advances following adult stem cell therapies while defying their medical diagnoses testify to the power of adult stem cell therapy on the DVD that is included with the mailing to Catholic homes.
The DVD features two prominent scientists urging public support for adult stem cell research, includes an interview with a nurse and bioethicist who addresses the effects of egg extraction and human cloning on women, and dissects the scientific differences between adult and embryonic stem cell research.
Conditions such as sickle cell anemia, Parkinson’s disease, lymphoma, numerous forms of cancer, Type-1 diabetes and many other conditions are currently being treated thanks to adult stem cell research. The list of conditions numbers over 70.
A full list of conditions which benefit from adult stem cell research can be found at StemCellResearch.org
Since adult stem cells are derived from various locations throughout the human body such as, dental pulp, bone marrow, fat tissues, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood, there is no harm to the donor when adult stem cell research is conducted.
In order to extract its stem cells, the destruction of human embryos is necessary to conduct embryonic stem cell research. This is the reason the Catholic Church is opposed to the science. Embryonic stem cell research also involves cloning in some cases. However, most important to those interested in stem cell research should be the fact that embryonic stem cell research has never produced a single treatment or cure.
Michigan’s Catholic diocesan bishops are: His Eminence Adam Cardinal Maida, Archbishop of Detroit; Most Reverend Patrick R. Cooney, Bishop of Gaylord; Most Reverend Walter A. Hurley, Bishop of Grand Rapids; Most Reverend James A. Murray, Bishop of Kalamazoo; Most Reverend Carl F. Mengeling, Bishop of Lansing; Most Reverend Alexander K. Sample, Bishop of Marquette; and Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Bishop of Saginaw.
Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.
A monumental statewide education program that includes over 500,000 Catholic
homes and nearly 800 parishes has been launched by the state’s diocesan bishops in Michigan. The Michigan Catholic Conference’s efforts are directed at communicating the Church’s teaching on human life as it relates to
adult and embryonic stem cell research.
Paul A. Long, who is the Conference’s Vice President for Public Policy, said that the central messages of the internal education program focuses on the church’s support for adult stem cell research. And their opposition towards embryonic stem cell research is based on the fact it compromises their message.
“Medical science, along with people from different faith and
political backgrounds, has recognized that human cloning and the
destruction of living embryos for research purposes may not be the most
promising way to move forward with stem cell research. Yet because of the
great deal of attention given to unproven embryo destructive research,
partly through misinformation and even deceit, necessary funding for and
the promotion of adult stem cell research have been nearly non-existent.
Many people are unaware that adult stem cells are located throughout the
human body and are providing treatments, even cures, without harming the
donor person,” said Long.
Every registered Catholic home in the state has been sent a 12-minute DVD and a brochure that all emphasize the Church’s support for adult stem cell research along with a letter signed jointly by the state’s diocesan bishops. The materials align with the Conference’s internal education program which has been themed,
A small group of patients with multiple sclerosis were enrolled in a new pilot clinical trial to test bone marrow stem cell therapy at Frenchay Hospital. The aim of the trial is to find out what effects, good or bad, it has on patients with MS, and their disability. It is being conducted by the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust.
Bone marrow is of great interest to those working to develop new treatments for many diseases, including those affecting the nervous system since the marrow is known to contain stem cells capable of replacing cells in many types of tissues and organs.
Until now, patients have not been treated in this manner, but laboratory studies in Bristol and elsewhere have worked with similar cells to determine potential benefits to aid repair in multiple sclerosis.
The trial is being led by the University of Bristol and Neil Scolding who is a Professor of Clinical Neurosciences for North Bristol NHS Trust.
He said: “We believe this form of adult stem cell treatment, carried out in collaboration with colleagues in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the BRI, will be safe and well-tolerated but, because patients with MS have never had this treatment before, safety has to be proven before any further studies of larger numbers of patients can take place.”
“We will therefore be monitoring this small number of patients extremely carefully over the next 9-12 months. Provided, as is envisaged, we do not find serious adverse effects, we hope to raise the funds to undertake a larger study to examine the effectiveness of such treatment in MS.”
To determine general fitness and degree of disability from MS, patients meeting the initial entry criteria were assessed in the Neurology department and the Burden Centre at Frenchay Hospital.
Frenchay and also at The Hammersmith Hospital in London, various types of brain scans were conducted. Then the patients underwent bone marrow collection under a short general anesthetic at the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the BRI.
Via a vein in the arm, the stem cells are delivered back to the patient later the same day after they have been processed from the marrow.
A range of various monitoring tests and scans at Frenchay and in London are then carried out over the following weeks and months.
A small group of patients with multiple sclerosis were enrolled in a new pilot clinical trial to test bone marrow stem cell therapy at Frenchay Hospital. The aim of the trial is to find out what effects, good or bad, it has on patients with MS, and their disability. It is being conducted by the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust.
Bone marrow is of great interest to those working to develop new treatments for many diseases, including those affecting the nervous system since the marrow is known to contain stem cells capable of replacing cells in many types of tissues and organs.
Until now, patients have not been treated in this manner, but laboratory studies in Bristol and elsewhere have worked with similar cells to determine potential benefits to aid repair in multiple sclerosis.
The trial is being led by the University of Bristol and Neil Scolding who is a Professor of Clinical Neurosciences for North Bristol NHS Trust.
He said:
Using stem cells taken from the bone marrow, scientists have developed a new way to treat liver failure by dampening the immune response.
The technique could help save human lives after it moves past animal testing.
Potentially, the liver would be given the maximum chance to repair itself as the patient could be kept alive longer until a donor organ is found. The journal PLOS One featured the work by The Massachusetts General Hospital.
With the ability to regenerate itself, the liver is one of the few major organs with this ability.
But diseases like chronic hepatitis, or excessive long-term alcohol consumption stress the organ to point that is too extensive to cope with.
Powerful drugs to suppress the immune response are required to avoid transplant rejection of donor organs — this is necessary for the only current treatment for severe “end stage” damage. But still, donor organs themselves are limited.
External liver assist devices have successfully supported some patients, but such machines require a supply of (preferably) human liver cells, which have been difficult to acquire.
Tissues supporting blood cell development in the marrow cavity can be created using stem cells from bone marrow. The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were used be the United States researchers.
By putting a brake on the movement of immune cells to areas of damage, previous research has shown that MSCs are able to inhibit several immune system activities.
MSC’s can be expanded to levels that could be therapeutically useful after being extracted from a patient’s own bone marrow.
To treat rats with liver failure, the researchers tested several ways of using the cells.
Simply transplanting MSCs into the animals’ livers was not effective.
However, lessening inflammation and halting cell death were two methods of delivering molecules secreted by the cells.
Also, greatly reducing signs of liver failure in the animals, and boosted survival rates from 14% to 71%, was the result of cycling the blood of rats with liver failure through an external bioreactor containing MSCs.
To try to halt cell damage, and allow the organ to regenerate, a patient could be injected with a drug containing MSC-derived molecules in theory said researcher Biju Parekkadan.
A device similar to the bioreactor could be considered to buy extra time before a transplant if the initial efforts with the drug were not successful, or the damage was too extensive.
The research is still in an early stage warned the British Liver Trust.
But Professor Mark Thursz, of St Mary’s Hospital, London and spokesperson for the trust, said: “A long standing goal in hepatology is the suppression of liver cell death until regeneration could occur.”
“This development could potentially reduce the number of donor organs used in urgent transplant procedures thereby increasing the number available for the growing number of patients on routine waiting lists.”
