Here is the stem cell treatment for diabetes I was speaking of. The link below is actually the patient handbook giving information as to how it works and the process behind it. It also includes support services as well. There is an initial visit to talk to you about the process which then moves to pre-transplant testing to see if you are an candidate. They must then place the central line (plastic tube placed in a large vein used to collect the stem cells). The stem cells are then "mobilized" from the bone marrow into the blood where they can be collected. You are then given immune suppressors and then infused with the stem cells into the islets.
In juvenile diabetes the beta cells in your pancreas do not work properly and are attacked by your immune system. Wiping out the immune system ( and the beta cells I think. Dont quote me on it) and infusing stem cells allows WORKING beta cells to grow back. They have most patients go years and years without any sort of insulin therapy, and others (after years as well) start to need light insulin therapy, yet nothing close to what they used to have to use.
Definitely a very amazing procedure. Frightful still, yes, for wiping out the immune system is no small thing. That thing is there for a reason. One thing I did not catch is whether or not they wipe out only certain cells of the immune system or the entire thing.
https://www.nmff.org/documents/Patient_Education_Booklet2.pdf
I read the information booklet that you provided and it was very informative. However, it seemed to me that living with diabetes would be much more simpler than having to through this procedure. Diabetes runs in my family so I can sympathize that living with diabetes is not fun nor easy, however going through this instense procedure of chemotherapy, immuno suppressants, catheter care and multiple blood withdrawls to potentially cure your disease seems a bit extreme.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, I realize this is a pamphlet meant for those considering the procedure, but I still would have liked to know the procedure they use to "condition" the stem cells of the bone marrow to turn into beta-cells. Afterall, bone marrow are stem cells that code for red and white blood cells, they don't naturally turn into beta-cells, so what stimulus are these researchers using to allow for this to occur.
Overall, great research in finding this procedure. This is not something I would casually recommend to a diabetic, but it is good to see the progress we have made in our attempts to help those with this disease.
On their website they do provide a more in depth science behind their procedure. I will see if I can find it for you. I agree it does seem a little simpler to just live with diabetes. However, I have some very close people in my life with severe diabetes and are in the hospital quite often for one reason or another; from the inability to keep insulin levels despite a pump to liver failure. So for that person I would say this treatment should be done. For the diabetic that can live comfortably with shots or a pump then no they would probably be better off simply staying away from this treatment
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