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STEM CELL RESEARCH WE FEEL THIS RESEARCH HOLDS THE KEY FOR THE FUTURE OF MANY CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS |
This short article hopes to answer some of the questions posed about Peripheral Blood Stem Cells - PBSC's: - What are they? How are they got? And what are they used for? WHAT ARE STEM CELLS Stem Cells are the building blocks of the Bone Marrow. It is understood that the stem cell under the influence of various growth factors, differentiates and provides all the types of blood cells needed. WHY USE THE TERM PBSC? The term refers to the fact that under the influence of an administered artificial growth factor called G-CSF, (Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor), the stem cells are stimulated to grow and leave the bone marrow as they have increased in number to such a degree that there is not enough room for all of them within the bone marrow. HOW ARE THEY GOT? Because stem cells are circulating in the blood, they can be obtained by a process called 'Apherisis'. This occurs when the patient's blood is filtered through a machine similar to dialysis machine, where the blood passes through the machine from the patient, the cells are separated off and the rest of the blood (red cells, platelets and plasma), is returned to the patient, leaving only a small volume of fluid with the stem cells in it. WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR? THERE ARE NOW A NUMBER OF USES FOR PBSCs 1. They are now used instead of Bone Marrow for Autografts (where patients are given high doses of Chemotherapy, with their own Bone Marrow infused afterwards) 2. In people with malignacies like Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia and Lymphomas. 3. They can be used to support people through intensive Chemotherapy, enabling it to be given on schedule, where Neutropenia would have previously prevented it. 4. They can be used in illnesses like Breast and Testicular cancer, to enable high dose Chemotherapy to be given, which would have previously caused irreversible bone marrow damage, with the ensuing side effects. 5. Some centres are now obtaining PBSCs from donors instead of bone marrow for Bone Marrow Transplants. Some countries have gone over totally to this form of BMTs, while others are conducting trials, comparing both methods in terms of patient outcomes e.g. time to engraftment, and the effects on donors in terms of comfort, well-being and the need for hospitalization. |
STEM CELL RESEARCH GO TO THE FOLLOWING LINKS |
Stem Cell Secrets |
The Stem Cell Report |
News Engraftable Neural Stem Cells | News License to Neural Stem Cells |
News Liver Cells from Stem Cells |
News Stem Cells Reverse Diabetes |
Genetics News Stem-Cell Differentiation |
Debate Over Stem-Cell Research |
Stem-Cell Transplantation |
NIH OKs Work On Stem Cells |
Stem Cells Repair Rat Spinal Cord Damage |
Stem Cells Track Down Brain Cancer |
Cells |
Stem Cell or the Egg? |
Guidelines |
Advisory Commission |
Stem Cell Research |
Registry |
And Stem Cell Research |
Information |
Clinic |
Discussion Group |
(Bone Marrow) Transfusion |
AN ARTIST IN HIS OWN RIGHT AUTHOR JIM BRISTOW HIS WRITINGS SEEM TO GRASP THE VERY REALITIES OF ALL CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS |
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