Mesenchimal stem cells produce tumoral masses in the brain

[stemcellsknight]

Recent discoveries found this alarming fact:
mesenchimal (bone marrow) stem cells injected for brain damage (MS) produced tumoral masses in over half of the mice treated.

http://www.stemcellcentre.edu.au/EMPreview.aspx?nid=aabc66f8-652c-4b88-9ded-67ed252d4a74
http://beaker.sanfordburnham.org/?p=4267

This is indeed bad news!
I wonder what will happen to the many clinics that are using this metodology for treating brain damage if this proves true.
What are your opinions on this matter?

 

[Jeannine]

Don't ignore the part where it says those whose conditions weren't as severe saw improvement. When they say mysenchemal are they referring to an allogenic transplant or an autologous transplant?

There really isn't enough information to draw a conclusion. I also find Stanford Univ (Irv's place) to be very negative as far as using any type of cell other than embryonic. I will wait for more information to surface about this.

 

[stemcellsknight]

Yes it's not clear whether the cells were autologous or allogenic.
However, it's quite scaring.
Unfortunately I don't have access to the full articles.

 

[LLL6521]

Weak Article

To be honest, I would not add any weight or attention to this article. It is ambiguous and weak. I get the impression the author does not know much about stem cells. One of the most vital information missing from the article is the research autologous or allogeneic, then it goes on to warn the readers as blanket statement that all stem cell therapies may be dangerous. The author is irresponsible and trying to sensationalize the public. I just reread it and “definitely for the last time” that it mentions the word “Transplant” and goes on about being bone marrow stem cells. If that is the case, then yes, it may be dangerous, but claiming that all stem cell therapies are dangerous is nonsense. First of all, you have one of the most knowledgeable people Barbara the founder of this forum agreeing with me. Look up DR. Cox from Texas University Medical School about bone marrow stem cell therapies.

 

[barbara]

And you also have the other founder, Jeannine, questioning it. I do agree with LLL6521 100%. To not state what type of transplant this was allogenic or autologous is like writing an article on how bad the orange crop was this year, but failing to mention the word orange and simply stating the fruit crop was bad. That would tell us nothing, just like this irresponsible article.

Also, unless someone is going to the Frankenstein clinic, the doctor would not be injecting mesenchymal stem cells harvested from a donor into an MS patient's brain. A doctor wouldn't be doing that with autologous stem cells either. This sounds like another one of those weird experiments that Stanford is famous for. Not too long ago, they were injecting mice with human brain tissue.

I will ask our next host for Ask the Doctor to comment on this article as well.

 

[LLL6521]

Truth about Stem Cells

When I first started my research on stem cell therapies, as a novice, I read each article and heard each statement from most American Scientists as gospel about stem cell therapies (SCT). You can start with the most famous of all reports, the 60 Minutes' piece called “Snake Oil…” showing this unscrupulous man falsely claiming that his stem cell therapy can cure ALS and having poor desperate victims crying on the air. Then afterwards you have these renowned research scientists warning about overseas stem cell therapies are all unfounded and potentially dangerous procedures. Yes, I agree. There are some overseas stem cell therapies that you need to be weary in how they victimize desperate innocent victims. However, some overseas clinics are not like that. As I dug in deeper and deeper into my research, I found out that most of what the news reports, articles, and what American Scientists were claiming were half truths and many of their statements were made for their own self interests. I mention self interest, because many of these research scientists receive billions of dollars in government grants and public donations for their research, and all under the auspicious eye of the FDA. At the end we will all benefit from their research, but in this inner-circle of Scientists, they purposely leak out false information with the objective to discredit all stem cell therapies as quackery and dangerous, they do so in order to continue their FDA clinical trials. In their minds, if it is not FDA approved, it must be dangerous. Meanwhile, treatments can take up to 10 to 15 years for final approval. I mention FDA, because as we discussed in this forum before, FDA deems autologous stem cell therapies as a “drug” and not a medical procedure. I am just disappointed that many of these Scientists can jump onboard with desperate parents and patients looking for stem cell therapies and say, “hey, UCB and all autologous stem cell therapies should be approved as a medical procedure just like a pig’s valve being placed in patient for heart valve transplant and not being scrutinized by the FDA." Listen, keep doing your research and fact finding, you will see that the truths said about stem cell therapies are definitely being undermined. Thank God for this forum and some reliable treatments like Bioregenesis. This is why I consider this forum priceless.

 

[barbara]

It is the rare scientist, in my opinion, that sees humans as different from lab rats. The pressing need for so many who are desperately ill is not factored into their research. Throw the FDA in the mix and what we have going on is a tortoise race. Is what is taking place in the U.S. vastly different than some disreputable offshore clinics, aside from patients being bilked of their money? Both are denying treatment to patients who really need it. Taxpayers are asked to continually give more to fund research. Some of this money is well spent, but there is also a lot that isn't and to me that is a rip off just like the doctor on 60 Minutes. It's time for some house cleaning at the NIH, universities and other research facilities that rely on public funding and it's time for the FDA to quit trying to regulate our own stem cells.

 

[LLL6521]

Total Disservice to Citizens

I totally agree with you Barbara, and one has to begin thinking the reasons why certain stem cell therapies are prohibited in this country especially autologous treatments? Preventing treatments with frailty, sickness, and disabilities of young and old, one has to ask, what is being jeopardized? Is it really patients’ safety, or the billions of dollars in drug sales, medical procedures, and government research fund? The government delaying adult stem cell therapies for 15 to 20 years will cost in terms of morbidity and mortality billions of dollars in medical expenses and drug sales. Something the FDA upholds in their public policy is “…not to delay what is in the best interest of the public…” Looking at the big picture, it is a total disservice to the public’s interest!!!