Intensive chemotherapy backed up by injection of stem cells may slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) according to the latest studies.
The experiment, published in The Lancet, involved the observation of 24 patients between 18 and 50 years old from 3 different Canadian hospitals.
The results of the experiment exceeded expectations: 95% of the patients’ general health state with regard to MS symptoms improved significantly.
An MS Society representative, however, noted that this treatment methodology still involves certain risks.
Approximately 100,000 patients in the UK are diagnosed with incurable MS.
MS triggers the immune system to damage the lining of nerves in brain and spinal cord. It is very often diagnosed in the ages of 20s and 30s.
Common practices in the treatment of MS involve suppression of the immune system through chemotherapy and injection of the stem cells into the bloodstream. This procedure is called haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).
Canadian researchers went even further in their experiment; they not only suppressed the immune system, but destroyed it to rebuild a new one with stem cells harvested from the patient?s own blood.
Scott Wolf, CEO and Director of Research for Grace Century commented: “This is further evidence that the earlier you can store cells the more powerful and useful they can become”
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