Stem cell therapy - what you ought to know

Recently, Hrithik Roshan helped a quadriplegic gain a new lease at life. John Julius, a young man who had been bed ridden for 12 years, can now sit up, has a job and has married the love of his life, all thanks to the support that Hrithik gave him. The actor first met John while he was preparing for his role as a quadriplegic, in the movie 'Guzaarish'. A condition that was thought to be incurable can now be treated by stem cell therapy and rehabilitation. Here is what you should know about this treatment:

What is it?

Stem cells are derived from human umbilical cord or bone marrow. Also called the 'basic cells' of our body they have the power to mature into any type of tissue cell in the body. Stem cell therapy is based on the principle that stem cells migrate to the site of the injury and transform themselves to form new tissue cells that can replace the damaged ones. They have the capacity to multiply and renew themselves almost indefinitely and can form mature nerve cells, muscle cells and blood cells. In this therapy they are taken out of the body, and kept under artificial conditions (also called as induction of the stem cells) where they mature into the type of cells that are required to heal a particular part of the body.

There are two types of treatments:

Autologous stem cell therapy: This method uses the patient's own stem cells (adult stem cells) which are obtained from the blood, bone marrow etc.

Allogenic stem cell therapy: This therapy uses donated stem cells. The disadvantage in this therapy is that in a number of cases these donor stem cells may be rejected. This method of stem cell therapy has not yet been legalised in India.

How is it done?

The entire procedure can be broken down into three steps: bone marrow collection, laboratory processing and stem cell implantation (bone marrow stem cell or cord derived stem cell). Your doctor may administer a 'stem cell stimulant' medication to enhance the transplantation process.

Bone marrow collection: in this process a sample from the hip or thigh region is taken. The procedure takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and is done on an in-patient basis.

Laboratory processing: Once the sample is taken, it is sent to the laboratory for testing. First the stem cells are separated from blood and plasma, the numbers of stem cells present are counted and their vitality is checked.

Stem cell implantation: In this step, the doctor will administer the harvested stem cells to the patient. The first dose is either intrathecal (injected directly into the damaged area or cerebrospinal fluid) or intradermal (injected into the skin). After a few weeks, the patient will be given a second round of harvested stem cells.

The patient usually will notice improvement within 8 weeks to 1 year depending on the severity of the condition.

Who can use it?

Stem cell therapy has been used experimentally on a number of disorders including certain types of cancer, neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and traumatic spinal cord injuries.

Disadvantages of Stem cell therapy

Stem cell therapy has not shown to have too many disadvantages, except that the patient is in some amount of discomfort after the extraction process. Taking a sample for the transplant involves taking marrow from the hips or thigh, this can be painful and the patient may experience nausea, headache and pain in the legs for a few days after the process.

This new therapy is currently being widely used in cases where patients have suffered from a traumatic spinal injury or neurological disorders. A spinal injury is usually caused due to a sudden and traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates the vertebrae. The damage is instantaneous, and begins the moment the fragmented bone or displaced vertebrae crushes the spine. According to statistics, in India, about 15 lakh people live with a spinal cord injury. While the degree of the injury varies, a number of people who suffer are left paralysed either partially or completely. In the recent past stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries has become feasible, giving completely paralysed patients a chance to regain mobility.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of paralysis.

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