Many Benefits of Stem Cell Transplants
Stem cell transplant is a revolutionary new process that has changed the way medical science used to view dreadful diseases such as leukemia, cancer and Hodgkin’s disease. These diseases have become curable to a large extent thanks to stem cell transplantation.
It involves infusion of healthy cells to replace damaged or diseased ones. If the process is successful, the healthy stem cells integrate into the body and produce more cells that can perform necessary functions for a tissue.
It is a new branch of medicine known as regenerative medicine.
A stem cell transplant does not involve a surgery similar to the one required in an organ transplant. The procedure is fairly simple in comparison. However, it offers huge benefits.
Stem cell transplant has proved extremely beneficial in the treatment of various diseases such as:
1. Cancer: Stem cell transplant is particularly useful for treatment of leukemia. The chemotherapy and radiation that is given to the patient during the course of his/her treatment to destroy cancer cells, unfortunately also destroys healthy cells.
A stem cell transplant substitutes the lost and damaged cells with new ones that are fully functional. These cells can then provide red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that are essential for metabolism, clotting and immunity. The other important benefit of this treatment is that the newly produced white blood cells further improve the immune system of the patient, which in turn destroys any remaining cancer cells in the bone marrow.
2. Aplastic Anaemia : This condition is not cancerous but causes a decrease in the production of blood cells by the bone marrow. A stem cell transplant can replace the dysfunctional marrow with new stem cells that function properly. The new stem cells that have been transplanted travel from the blood of the patient to the bone marrow where they perform their required function and produce healthy working blood cells.
3. Multiple Sclerosis : Stem cell transplant can stop the advancement of many diseases and also has the ability to reverse the neurological dysfunction associated with multiple sclerosis. The patients are injected with stem cells obtained from their own bone marrow. These are known as haemopoietic stem cells. Blood cells originate from these stem cells. Up to 70% to 80% of the patients, suffering from multiple sclerosis did not relapse later.
4. Spinal Cord Injury: Stem cell transplant has provided life- saving benefits to spinal cord injury patients. The spinal cord cells once destroyed have no ability to regenerate. However, stem cell surgery provides fully functional cells. The transplant greatly improves the lives of the patients making them less dependent on others.
Future Transplant Treatments: Success has been seen in the treatment of various other diseases using stem cell transplant.
These diseases are:
• Retinal diseases: Retinal cells that have been destroyed due to disease or accident can be replaced by stem cells.
• Type I diabetes: Stem cells can be transplanted to take the place of worn out pancreatic cells.
• Parkinson’s disease: Stem cells can replace the damaged brain cells.
• Improvements in the symptoms of diseases such as Epilepsy, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Down Syndrome and Sickle Cell anaemia.
• The therapy can positively influence the outcome of diseases such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease.
You will be able to see positive results within a month of starting stem cell transplantation therapy.
To know more about stem cell transplants, log on to www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/.
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