Can Stem Cell Research Really Defeat the 1927 Yankees and Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)

Posted 18 June, 2009 in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) |

Stem Cell Research Shown To Improve ALS

In a recent published clinical stem cell research study, adult stem cells were shown to help delay Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) progression and improve an ALS patient’s quality of life. This research study was believed to be the first published study comparing ALS patients who had their own stem cells injected into their brain vs a control group.

Thank you very much to ALS Worldwide for providing us with this exciting stem cell research breakthrough in humans- not mice! Any clinical studies like this in the United States? I can’t hear you….

Without further ado- here is the published stem cell research study on ALS.

Summary of Adult Stem Cell Therapy for ALS Study

This summary is provided by the good people at ALS Worldwide as well as they went to observe this tremendous stem cell treatment using Adult Stem Cells!

HOSPITAL SAN JOSE TECNOLOGICO DE MONTERREY STEM CELL PROCEDURE

The initial two year clinical test study results of the stem cell procedure instituted by Hospital San Jose Tecnologico de Monterrey, was published in Cytotherapy, February, 2009. Positive results were confirmed through both clinical observation and MRI tractography. It is considered by many within the international neurological community to be the foremost procedure available for minimizing or abrogating ALS symptoms and extending the lifespan of ALS patients. The procedure is a state of the art use of autologous CD-133 (+) stem cells injected into the frontal cortices for the effective replacement of motor neurons.

Representing the ALS WORLDWIDE patient community, we were at Hospital San Jose Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico from June 6-14 to observe the hospitalization and procedures for the first two international patients being provided this stem cell therapy. In a sentence, the official message delivered is clear: “This stem cell procedure is not a cure. We offer nothing more than the promise of stability and extended life expectancy. The opportunity, however, exists for improvement. “

Process of Stem Cells for Lou Gehrig’s Disease

The stem cell preparation procedure is sophisticated and complicated but in the simplest terms, the patient’s blood is purified, extracted and cleansed. Stem cells are extracted and then the one kind of stem cell that can be best coaxed into becoming a neuron is injected into two places in the brain. The patient experiences no pain and very little discomfort during the procedure. A mild sedative is provided and within hours, the patient is back in his or her room, enjoying dinner.

The team effort at Hospital San Jose Tecnologico de Monterrey embraces a cooperative spirit that pervades every aspect of their efforts. Patients and their families are treated with the highest level of concern, respect and support. The hospital itself resembles the finest hotel and provides exemplary care. A more detailed, scientific explanation of the Monterrey experience is currently being prepared and will be posted to ALS WORLDWIDE within the next week.

I hope to post these updates on this breakthrough in stem cell research as well.

via Can Stem Cell Research Really Defeat the 1927 Yankees and Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) | Adult Stem Cell Research.

Iraqi Doctor Uses Adult Stem Cell Therapies to Help Treat Patients Diseases

Jun 19, 2009

Amid the blast walls and cacophony of Baghdad, patients at a local clinic are receiving potentially groundbreaking stem cell therapy, treatments that remain illegal and unproven in many countries.

Dr. Abdul Majeed Alwan Hammadi is conducting the treatments for free, mostly on young Iraqis. He is a clinical hematologist who works in the Bone Marrow Transplant Center, part of Baghdad’s Medical City complex of hospitals on the eastern banks of the Tigris River.

Hammadi says he started therapies in 2008 and has so far treated 34 patients, the majority for multiple sclerosis.

via Iraqi Doctor Uses Adult Stem Cell Therapies to Help Treat Patients Diseases - AdultStemCell.com.

Author: Don Margolis | Source: The Repair Stem Cell Institute

Adult Stem Cells Help Congestive Heart Failure Patient

STEM CELL RESEARCH HEALS HEART MUSCLE AFTER HEART ATTACK Another congestive heart failure patient has been helped by stem cell research using adult stem cells. Terry Areford, 62, a multiple heart attack victim has been given a 2nd chance at life after receiving Vescell stem cell treatment to heal his heart muscle in Thailand.

STEM CELL RESEARCH HEALS HEART MUSCLE AFTER HEART ATTACK

Another congestive heart failure patient has been helped by stem cell research using adult stem cells. Terry Areford, 62, a multiple heart attack victim has been given a 2nd chance at life after receiving Vescell stem cell treatment to heal his heart muscle in Thailand.

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE SYMPTOMS

Terry was dying. He was slowing down. He had the usual symptoms of congestive heart failure. He had shortness of breath. He could barely walk 50 feet slowly. However, Terry still had hope. His daughter came across the Vescell website and contacted them.

ADULT STEM CELLS FROM YOUR OWN BLOOD

For those of you unfamiliar with Vescell stem cell therapy in Thailand, it is a process created by a company called Theravitae in which adult stem cells are removed from the patient’s blood (similar to a blood donation) and then multiplied into a therapeutic dose and then implanted into the patient’s heart muscle and/or coronary arteries.

But back to Terry’s stem cell story-

BEFORE VESCELL TREATMENT

* Ejection Fraction 10%

* Could barely walk

* Severe shortness of breath

AFTER ADULT STEM CELLS IMPLANTED

* Ejection Fraction at 45%

* Plays 3 rounds of golf per week

* No shortness of breath- outside chopping firewood

3 full 18 hole rounds of golf per week? No kidding Terry? I am very happy for you. Like many of the Vescell heart patients recently, Terry has become an adult stem cell advocate and wants other congestive heart failure patients to know that there is still hope out there.

You are welcome to call or email Terry at 304-594-9377 or his email is bkareford@msn.com

STEM CELL RESEARCH IN THAILAND

This is the third stem cell research success story to come out of Thailand in the last month. See stories from heart attack victims and heart failure patients James Eilert and Andy Jordan as well. The Repair Stem Cell Instititue (www.repairstemcells.org) is dedicated to education, empowerment and advocacy. To learn more visit www.repairstemcells.org or www.donmargolis.com.

Coming soon to RSCI: Meet Doris! The first children's book that helps explain adult stem cells and how they work!

via Catholic.net - Adult Stem Cells Help Congestive Heart Failure Patient.

Human fallopian tube: a new source of multipotent adult mesenchymal stem cells discarded in surgical procedures

The possibility of using stem cells for regenerative medicine hasopened a new field of investigation. The search for sources to obtain multipotent stem cells from discarded tissues or through non-invasive procedures is of great interest.

It has been shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from umbilical cords, dental pulp and adipose tissue, which are all biologicaldiscards, are able to differentiate into muscle, fat, bone and cartilage cell lineages. The aim of this study was to isolate, expand, characterize and assess the differentiation potential of MSCs from human fallopian tubes (hFTs).

Methods: Lineages of hFTs were expanded, had their karyotype analyzed, were characterized by flow cytometry and underwent in vitro adipogenic, chondrogenic, osteogenic, and myogenic differentiation.

Results: Here we show for the first time that hFTs, which are discarded after some gynecological procedures, are a rich additional source of MSCs, which we designated as human tube MSCs (htMSCs).

Conclusions: Human tube MSCs can be easily isolated, expanded in vitro, present a mesenchymal profile and are able to differentiate into muscle, fat, cartilage and bone in vitro.

Author: Tatiana JazedjePaulo PerinCarlos CzeresniaMariangela MalufSilvio HalpernMariane SeccoDaniela BuenoNatassia VieiraEder ZucconiMayana Zatz

Credits/Source: Journal of Translational Medicine 2009, 7:46

via Human fallopian tube: a new source of multipotent adult mesenchymal stem cells discarded in surgical procedures - 7thSpace Interactive.

It is encouraging that the financial sector recognizes the tremendous advancements in adult stem cell research.  When the rubber hits the road, the facts win out when making lucrative business decisions, as succinctly described in Fortune magazine this week.

Fortune magazine reported this Tuesday, June 16, that researchers and analysts say that marketable therapies are already emerging from less controversial work with adult stem cells.  According to this news piece “When it comes to stem cells, the public – and the media – tend to focus on embryos.”  Regardless, as acknowledged by Fortune, “adult stem cells are currently the only type of stem cells used in transplants to treat diseases” and the successes attributed to the ease of use and reduced costs in developing therapies while avoiding ethical issues.  From a business interest, many therapies are approaching market approval while embryonic stem cell therapies, if proven safe and successful, are at least 10 years away.  While the media continues its focus on embryonic cells, industry recognizes where the value lies.  Many major biopharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Genzyme are earmarking billions of dollars for development of adult stem cell cures.  To read the entire article, please click here.