Autoimmune Disease: Easing the Pain with Stem Cells
Autoimmune Disease: Easing the Pain with Stem Cells
Story by Ivanhoe Broadcast News:
DENVER, Colo. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Fifty million Americans are living with an autoimmune disorder, making it one of the leading causes of chronic illness in the country. In fact, there are more than 80 autoimmune disease. For most, there is no cure. Management is key. But that may soon change as a procedure in clinical trials right now may be the key to keeping their disease in remission.
Award-winning singer Celine Dion was diagnosed with stiff person’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes uncontrollable spasms. Stiff person’s syndrome joins a long list of incurable, debilitating autoimmune diseases — including multiple sclerosis.
Kathy Miska has been living with MS for more than 20 years, the disease has progressed and left her in a wheelchair.
“It’s hard. It feels like you’re giving up a little bit of your independence,” Miska expresses.
As with many autoimmune diseases, they get worse over time. And over time medications and therapies sometimes stop working. Autologous stem cell transplants may be a last resort.
Colorado Blood Cancer Institute doctor, Richard Nash explains, “What we try and do is suppress the immune response.”
First, patients receive high-dose chemotherapy to wipe out the immune system. Then, blood stem cells are taken from the patient – or a donor – processed, and then put back into the patient.
“There’s been a number of studies showing that transplants for MS can be effective,” Dr. Nash adds.
Seventy percent of MS patients can stay in remission for five years. It’s also been shown up to 70 percent of patients with systemic sclerosis remain in remission 10 years after transplantation.
Dr. Nash reassures, “We’re having such a profound effect on the immune system.”
Stem cell transplantation is still considered an experimental treatment for autoimmune disorders. Early results have been promising but more clinical trials need to be done.
Introduction:
A healthy immune system defends the body against disease and infection. But if the immune system malfunctions, it mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Called autoimmune disease, these attacks can affect any part of the body, weakening bodily function and even turning life-threatening.
Scientists know about more than 80 autoimmune diseases. Some are well known, such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, while others are rare and difficult to diagnose. With unusual autoimmune diseases, patients may suffer years before getting a proper diagnosis. Most of these diseases have no cure. Some require lifelong treatment to ease symptoms.
Collectively, these diseases affect more than 24 million people in the United States.1 An additional eight million people have auto-antibodies, blood molecules that indicate a person’s chance of developing autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are affecting more people for reasons unknown. Likewise, the causes of these diseases remain a mystery.
Studies indicate these diseases likely result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Gender, race, and ethnicity characteristics are linked to a likelihood of developing an Autoimmune disease; and are more common when people are in contact with certain environmental exposures.
