Beware stem cell therapy for lung disease

[gerald]

It is a small news paper but seems to have touched base with some major players.
This seems to sum up the results that many people have found trying out stem cell cures that have been offered to date. STem Cells offerings are usually well vetted here www.stemcellpioneers.com/

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Clinics in other countries for some time have promised dramatic results in the treatment of lung disease, primarily emphysema, through the use of “autologous stem cells” obtained from the patient. The stem cells are extracted from adipose (fat) tissue, treated and then injected into the patient. The cells then supposedly go to work regenerating and replacing the damaged lung tissue.

Several of this type of clinic are now popping up in parts of the United States, mostly in California and Florida. Their advertisements are filled with testimonials from patients, extolling the virtues of the treatments. The treatments are quite expensive, and would be an absolute godsend for the 30 million Americans who suffer from some stage of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). If they worked.

Trouble is, none of these clinics or their treatments are approved by the FDA, and the only proof of their effectiveness is anecdotal, coming from selected customers.

Anyone with a chronic, progressive disease, such as COPD, will usually find themselves in a situation of desperation, eager to embrace any promises of a “cure.” I have been there, and it is a terrible situation.

Sadly, further research shows that institutions that are working on stem cell therapy for lungs unanimously agree that the successful regeneration of human lung tissue is likely decades away. Dr. Hatch, a British researcher, states that he may be able to announce success in about 20 years. Boston University states that stem cell treatment for lungs may be available for our grandchildren or great-grandchildren.

Even the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest, which has successfully built working bladders and other of the simpler internal organs, states that we are likely 20 years away from creating a lung.

There have always been those who would separate us from our money with promises of cures of everything from cancer to male pattern baldness. Please beware.


www.postindependent.com/news/15508216-113/beware-stem-cell-therapy-for-lung-disease

[gerald]

Now having posted the article I find this comment from one of the founders of Stem Cell Pioneers

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barbara (barbara is Pioneer Founding member)

Default Beware stem cell therapy for lung disease

Here's my comment on this article:

Stem cell treatment has given me many quality of life improvements. I have never been promised a cure nor been told that treatment would generate new lungs for me. Many clinics offering treatment are compliant with FDA regulations, a fact that isn't mentioned in this article. Mr. Nelson should be encouraging lung organizations to sponsor stem cell based clinical trials instead of doling out paternalistic advice. Seeing that the COPD Foundation recently partnered with a Big Pharma company to do research, it sounds like there may be conflicts of interest here.


The author doesn't state what lung organizations he works for. This article didn't pass the smell test to me.
www.stemcellpioneers.com/showthread.php?9293-Beware-stem-cell-therapy-for-lung-disease&p=22669#post22669

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[John]

Thank You for the good information Gerald

[skate4life]

Thanks Gerald. It really is an ongoing hot topic but I have yet to see confirmed stem cell lung reports in the professional journals and other reports do say it is 10 years or more before it may begin to filter down to the selected patients. Yes, when people are desperate, they will try anything......

But I do echo what Barbara said about the COPDF now partnering with a big pharmaceutical company. When I saw that press release, I had the same reaction - I don't like it. It is all in the details. Pharm. companies and their multi-millions can benefit R&D but their criteria must be scrutinized for any conflict of interest.

[stoker55]

Thanks Skate & Gerald. This is really a hot topic everywhere for may chronic diseases but we have to remember that it is highly doubtful that we will be able to regenerate our fractured lung cells during our life span. However any continued resesearch will always hold hope for us.

[David]

Thanks Gerald for the info. I have been interested in this for years but Al warned me not to get my hopes up a few years ago.

My Pulmonary Doctor told me last year that the FDA did not approve this. So I have been slowly giving up on Stem Cell Treatment for me.

Now after that article I can put my hopes of Stem Cell to rest. Like the article says, maybe 20 years from now.

I remember when I was diagnosed with emphysema in 1983, I thought to myself surely there will be a way to stop the progression in the next 20 years. Here it is now over 30 years and still no cure.

This is the site I had been looking at lunginstitute.com/

[David]

Here is another good article that goes along with Gerald's article that Mr. Nelson wrote.


pulmonaryhypertensionrn.com/pulmonary-hypertension-treatments/buyer-beware-stem-cells-in-pah/


March 6, 2015 by Dr. Jeremy Feldman

[gerald]

My Pulmonary Spoecialist has indicated the same warnings about Stem Cells. He said the research to date has raised more questions than answers.

I think the main issue is that they still do not understand the intricacies of lung tissues and how it all works together. Stem cell treatments have tended to throw a bunch of stem cells at it and hope something sticks. I saw some research that indicated there may be 10-14 different types of stem cells required to rebuld the lung. So anything less would be a shot in the dark.

Hopefully we can see some serious trials in 5 years or so.