A new study has found that doctors may soon be able to use a stem cell transplant to treat patients with multiple sclerosis.  The findings have been hailed as game changing and will completely transform how multiple sclerosis is treated.

Multiple sclerosis is a common autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the protective coating of nerves (called the myelin sheath).  The damage to nerves eventually disrupts communication between the brain and body.  This results in a wide range of symptoms including vision loss, pain, impaired coordination, tremors, difficulty walking, and involuntary movements.  There is currently no cure for the condition.

The new stem cell treatment was developed by an international team of researchers.  The treatment begins by wiping out the patient’s immune system with strong chemotherapy treatments.  The patient then receives a stem cell transplant to re-establish their immune system.  The re-built immune system no longer mistakenly attacks the nerve’s myelin coating.

The study that tested this new treatment involved one hundred patients.  Fifty of the patients received a stem cell transplant while the other 50 received a standard treatment.  After one year, from the 50 patients who received a standard treatment, 39 saw a deterioration of their condition.  From the fifty patients who received a  stem cell transplant, only 1 saw a deterioration of their condition.

After three years, only 3 of the 50 patients who had received the stem cell transplant saw a deterioration of their condition.  Most of the test subjects who received a stem cell transplant saw a reduction in their disability.  It was a remarkable outcome, which excited the researchers.

One of the leading multiple sclerosis researchers in the UK, Professor Basil Sharrack, is also looking forward to the new treatment becoming available.  Professor Sharrack recently told Cells4Life that a stem cell transplant is not only more effective than traditional treatments — it is cheaper in the long run.  That’s because a stem cell transplant is a one-off while traditional treatments are ongoing.

Source: Stem cell transplant – a game changing treatment for multiple sclerosis

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