Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
Wednesday, December 28, 2022 (HealthDay News)
New research adds evidence that people with multiple sclerosis can benefit from a type of stem cell transplant – including those in more advanced stages of the disease
The study is the latest look at a potential alternative treatment for some multiple sclerosis patients, using their own blood stem cells to attempt to reboot their defective immune system.
Studies have found that this approach may benefit some patients in the early stages of MS. Now, new findings suggest that the same may be true for some patients in the second stage of the disease, known as secondary progressive MS.
Researchers found that among more than 2,000 Italian adults with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, those who received stem cell therapy lived five years better than those taking standard medications. I discovered that
Overall, 62% had no worsening of disability compared to 46% of patients on medication. A minority, 19%, maintained some improvement over five years, compared with 4% for him in the medication group.
Experts said the findings add to the evidence for the promise of stem cell approaches. But they also had an important caveat.
For one thing, this study was not a clinical trial that directly tested stem cells against standard multiple sclerosis medications. I reviewed the records of the patients who received treatment.
This means there may be “confounding factors” that make it difficult to draw conclusions, such as differences between patients who received stem cell transplants and those who did not, said a study from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. said Bruce Bebo, executive vice president of charge.
Moreover, patients taking multiple sclerosis medications did not receive the latest drugs approved for the disease. It is unclear how this can be counteracted.
These are important points, given that stem cell transplantation is no easy task, according to researcher Dr. Matilde Inglese, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the University of Genoa in Italy.
The entire process, including hospitalization and the period when the patient’s immune system is severely weakened, takes about three months. Ideally, qualified patients would participate in clinical trials testing stem cells against the best available multiple sclerosis treatment, Inglese said.
One such trial, called BEAT-MS, is underway in the United States.
MS is a neurological disorder caused by a misdirected immune system attack on the protective sheaths surrounding nerve fibers in the spine and brain. Symptoms include visual disturbances, muscle weakness, numbness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.
Most people with multiple sclerosis initially have a relapsing-remitting form, with temporary worsening of symptoms followed by remission. Eventually, however, the disorder usually transitions to a secondary progressive stage where the disorder worsens over time.
At present, there is a “general consensus” that stem cell transplantation is an option for patients with aggressive relapsing-remitting MS who do not respond to medication.
In a study published last year, Inglese’s team found that 71% of relapsing-remitting MS patients who underwent transplant showed no worsening of disability after 10 years.
At the time of its publication, Inglese said that the general idea of stem cell transplantation was: cell.
However, patients in the most recent study recently published in the journal neurologyhad “active” secondary progressive MS—meaning there was still evidence of ongoing inflammation.
Both Bebo and Inglese say some patients may benefit from stem cell transplants.
The principle behind treatment is very simple. Stem cells from the bone marrow are the building blocks of the immune system, and the goal of the transplant is to eliminate the defective immune system and start over, as Inglese explained.
This procedure removes stem cells from the patient’s blood and uses powerful chemotherapy drugs to knock down the existing immune system.
The stored stem cells are then injected into the patient, allowing the immune system to rebuild over time.
The idea is simple, but the process is not. This includes months of immunosuppression with the risk of serious infections. Non-clinical trials cost an average of $150,000, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. A patient’s out-of-pocket costs depend on insurance coverage.
The most important thing, says Inglese, is to get treatment at a reputable medical center that has experience using stem cell transplants to treat multiple sclerosis.
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The Multiple Sclerosis Association warns that there are many self-proclaimed “stem cell clinics,” and patients should always consult a multiple sclerosis specialist about where to get treatment.
For more information
The National MS Society has more information on stem cell transplantation.
Source: Matilde Inglese, MD, PhD, Center for Multiple Sclerosis, University of Genoa, Italy, Professor, Professor, Neurology, Radiology, Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine, New York City. Dr. Bruce Bebo, Executive Vice President of Research, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York City. neurology, Online December 21, 2022
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