Archive for the ‘Bone Marrow Stem Cells’ Category

Katie Joyce, left, aged four, and Sophie Ryan Palmer, aged 12, were among the four children who died as a result of complications with transplants. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA

Four children have died after failings in how stem cells used in life-saving operations were frozen at Great Ormond Street hospital, it emerged this week.

The four, who were between one and 12 years old, were among eight children with cancer whose bone marrow transplants did not work as a result of problems with the freezing process.

Britains best-known childrens hospital has admitted that one of them, four-year-old Katie Joyce, might have survived if it had acted more quickly when problems arose.

An inquest into the deaths this week heard that doctors were initially baffled as to why a decade of success using the procedures suddenly came to a halt in summer 2013. Despite extensive investigations, the hospital failed to pinpoint the source of the setbacks in its cryopreservation laboratory, used for freezing stem cells which were kept there for using in bone marrow transplants in children.

The transplanted stem cells were intended to help the childs bone marrow, damaged during chemotherapy, grow again to maximise the chance of recovery.

At the inquest, lawyers for two of the families whose children died accused Great Ormond Street of taking too long to halt the transplants once staff began having concerns.

The hospital has since overhauled its procedures to prevent further incidents and there are calls for the deaths to lead to tighter procedures around how stem cells are stored at hospitals and research centres across the UK.

Concerns were first raised in June 2013 when 12-year-old Sophie Ryan Palmer, who had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, failed to make progress after her transplant at Great Ormond Street, which involved using a donors stem cells rather than her own.

By October 2013 the hospital had identified that a higher than usual proportion of eight patients who had undergone stem cell transplantation between March and August had suffered setbacks after encountering what doctors call delayed engraftment. It immediately stopped freezing stem cells on site at its base in Bloomsbury, central London, and launched an investigation.

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Great Ormond Street deaths caused by stem cell lab failures, inquest told

Researchers of CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU-UCH) for the first time transplanted bone marrow stem cells into damaged brain tissue while applying lipoic acid (a potent antioxidant), with the aim of improving neuroregeneration in the tissue. This new way of repairing brain damage, which combines cellular treatment with drug therapy, has shown positive results, especially in forming blood vessels (a process called angiogenesis) in damaged areas of the brains of adult laboratory mice. Angiogenesis is a process that is essential to the recovery of damaged neural tissues. The investigation was led by Jos Miguel Soria Lpez, deputy director of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at CEU-UCH, and its results were published in the international medical journal Brain Injury.

Professor Soria, who is affiliated to the Department of Biomedical Sciences at CEU-UCH, heads the investigative group 'Strategies in Neuroprotection and Neuroreparation', which carried out the investigation in cooperation with the Andalusian Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Centre (CABIMER), located in Sevilla, and the Mediterranean Ophthalmological Foundation, located in Valencia. The research team used the experience they obtained from their previous investigations on the neuroregenerative efficiency of lipoic acid to develop a new remediation strategy for patients of brain damage. This new therapy combines the transplantation of bone marrow stem cells into the brain -- in this case, the brains of adult rats -- with the administration of the potent antioxidant lipoic acid.

Lipoic acid is already used in the treatment of degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis or diabetic neuropathy. Professor Soria concluded from previous researches he conducted at CEU-UCH that it has the ability to increase the creation of blood vessels, which speeds up cerebral immune response after an injury and stimulates the restoration of damaged tissues. Several other researches, for their part, proved that after brain damage stem cell therapies using a patient's own bone marrow induce functional improvements. The two therapies -- one cellular; the other one pharmacological -- were both applied in this research so as to evaluate their combined effect.

New blood vessels

Angiogenesis -- the process that forms new blood vessels -- in the treated neuronal tissue began only eight days after the application of this new, combined therapy. CEU-UCH professor Soria says that "although bone marrow stem cells disappear from the brain tissue where they were transplanted after only 16 days, new cells keep forming. To put it another way, brain tissue is regenerated by new cells that appear in the brain as a result of stem cell transplantation. This proves the regenerative efficiency of the new combined therapy."

The research also shows how the blood vessels that formed after the treatment grow into the damaged area of the brain. "They act as a kind of scaffolding to that area that allows microglia cells to migrate," professor Soria says. "In the damaged area, they contribute to regeneration." He adds that "the application of both treatments results into high angiogenic activity, which is crucial for an efficient recovery of the damaged brain area." According to Soria, "the laboratory mice that recovered fastest from brain injuries were those that had a higher density of regenerated blood vessels."

Taking into consideration brain damage is, especially among children and adolescents, one of the leading causes of disability and death in the developed world, the good results that were obtained from the combination of the two therapies make the research team very hopeful. "Combining an antioxidant such as lipoic acid with bone marrow stem cells has proven to be an effective remedy," Soria observes. The team plans to conduct future research into similar combined therapies.

The image above shows the transplant of bone marrow stem cells from transgenic mice under the effects of cerebral cortex after suffering local brain damage. Also visible is a neuroprotective drug therapy.

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The above story is based on materials provided by Asociacin RUVID. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Brain injuries in mice treated using bone marrow stem cells, antioxidants

The Saint Mary's student club, SMC Stands up to Cancer, held a bone marrow registration drive Friday. Registrants' genetic information will be added to the Be the Match marrow database which searches for possible matches with blood cancer patients. Suitable donors can provide bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells to patients, saving lives.

Allison Lukomski, a communicative sciences and disorders major, was a match for a female cancer patient from last years drive. She said it is very rewarding, knowing she was able to help someone else.

"You could save a life," Lukomski said, "and I just think it is so incredible and it is such an incredible experience I had, my family had, everyone in my family decided to join because they thought it was a really cool process." She said everyone asks about the pain, but once they realize how much information there is every step of the way, many people sign up.

This is the second year for the bone marrow drive. For more information on joining the bone marrow donation registry, visit Be The Match.

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Saint Mary's holds bone marrow drive

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (KABC) --

"I could not bend my arms, could not bend my legs, couldn't even open my mouth and it was just getting worse and worse," said Joselyn.

Her son, Rex Miller, knew his mother might die.

"The doctor said there was a 30 percent chance that she wasn't going to make it. I was just so distraught," he said.

Finally, a neurologist diagnosed her with Shulman's syndrome, an extremely rare disease with no cure. It can lead to leukemia so she began chemotherapy and taking hundreds of pills.

But nothing worked.

"My bone marrow stopped producing white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets," Joselyn recalled.

She endured more than 100 blood transfusions just to survive.

Doctors told her only a bone marrow transplant would save her. Her brother, a perfect match, agreed to be her donor.

After the procedure, she grew stronger and committed herself to finding donors for others.

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Woman saved by bone marrow transplant sets out to pay it forward

Sue Walters only chance of survival from leukaemiawas a stem cell transplant No one in her family matched her tissue type Doctors searched the worldwide donor register They found Nicola Gerber, a student from Mechern, near the French border

By Chloe Lambert for the Daily Mail

Published: 20:21 EST, 17 November 2014 | Updated: 04:28 EST, 18 November 2014

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When Sue Walters was diagnosed with leukaemia, she hoped that the best of medical science would be used to cure it.

What she could never have anticipated was that her life would be saved by an 18-year-old boy from a remote German village.

Sues only chance of survival was a stem cell transplant previously known as a bone marrow transplant.

What Nicola has done is amazing it really is a gift of life. If I hadnt had the transplant, it was unlikely Id have lived beyond three months,' said Sue Walters of her donor Nicola Gerber

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Donor: The German teenager who saved my life

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

17-Nov-2014

Contact: Nik Papageorgiou n.papageorgiou@epfl.ch 41-216-932-105 Ecole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne @EPFL_en

Chronic myeloid leukemia develops when a gene mutates and causes an enzyme to become hyperactive, causing blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow to grow rapidly into abnormal cells. The enzyme, Abl-kinase, is a member of the "kinase" family of enzymes, which serve as an "on" or "off" switch for many functions in our cells. In chronic myeloid leukemia, the hyperactive Abl-kinase is targeted with drugs that bind to a specific part of the enzyme and block it, aiming to ultimately kill the fast-growing cancer cell. However, treatments are often limited by the fact that the cancer cells can adapt to resist drugs. EPFL scientists have identified an alternative part of Abl-kinase on which drugs can bind and act with a reduced risk of drug resistance. Their work is published in Nature Communications.

Abl-kinase and leukemia

Abl-kinase can turn "on" molecules that are involved in many cell functions including cell growth. In chronic myeloid leukemia, the chromosome that contains the gene for Abl-kinase swaps a section with another chromosome, causing what is known as the "Philadelphia chromosome". When this mutation takes place in the blood stem cells in the bone marrow, Abl-kinase fuses with another protein, turning into a deregulated, hyperactive enzyme. This causes large numbers of blood-forming stem cells to grow into an abnormal type of white blood cell, which gives rise to chronic myeloid leukemia.

To treat this type of leukemia we use drugs that specifically bind and block a part of Abl-kinase called the "active site". As the name suggests, this is the part of the enzyme that binds molecules to turn them on. Therefore, blocking the active site with a drug stops the hyperactivity of Abl-kinase caused by the Philadelphia mutation and slow down or even abolishes the production of abnormal cancerous blood cells. The problem is that targeting the active site of Abl-kinase often causes the cancer cells to adapt and develop drug resistance, making them harder to kill.

An indirect path against resistance

A team of researchers led by Oliver Hantschel at EPFL (ISREC) has now discovered a new way to indirectly inhibit the activity of Abl-kinase. The scientists systematically made small, strategic mutations to Abl-kinase that caused its 3D structure to change. Then they tested each mutant version of the enzyme to see if its function would change.

Hantschel's team built on previous studies showing that Abl-kinase is indirectly controlled by another part of itself called the "SH2 region", which is located close to the active site. Normally, the SH2 region regulates the active site by opening and closing it. But under the Philadelphia mutation, that regulation is lost. What the scientists discovered was that when the Philadelphia mutation takes effect, the SH2 region actually "clamps" open the active site of Abl-kinase and forces it to go into overdrive.

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A new approach to fighting chronic myeloid leukemia

NOTRE DAME - You could be a life saver!

On Friday, November 21, 2014, the Saint Mary's College student club SMC Stands Up To Cancer will hold a bone marrow registration drive on campus.

It'll take place from 11am to 3pm in Reignbeaux Lounge in Le Mans Hall. For a campus map click here.

To participate, you must be between the ages of 18 and 44. It's completely painless to sign up, requiring just a swab of the inside of your cheek to get a sample of cells.

Your genetic information will be added to the Be the Match marrow database, which searches for possible matches for blood cancer patients. Suitable donors can provide bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells to patients, saving lives.

This will be the second annual bone marrow drive held on Saint Mary's campus. Typically, one person in 540 is a match for a patient with a blood cancer. But a match surfaced out of the 50 registered on campus at the last drive. Allison Lukomski '16, a communicative sciences and disorders major, was a match for a female cancer patient. Lukomski donated peripheral blood stem cells over fall break through a non-surgical procedure.

The bone marrow registration event comes on the heels of the Pink Party Zumbathon, hosted by SMC Stands Up to Cancer, which raised money for cancer research through the national organization Stand Up To Cancer.

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Bone marrow registration drive to be held at Saint Mary's College

A large-scale trial conducted in India has shown that stem cell therapy does not work in stroke patientsREUTERS

A study conducted on 120 patients in India has shown that stem cell treatment is not effective in treating paralysis resulting from a stroke.

The research which is thefirst large-scale study conducted in Indiacompared outcomes in those treated with stem cells to others and found no difference, reports Down to Earth.

While 60 patients with some form of disability of limbs caused by a stroke were given conventional treatment, an equal number received bone marrow stem cells in addition. All had experienced a stroke 3-4 weeks before the trial.

"We found that at the end of the first month, patients with stem cells showed more improvement compared to the control group. But at the end of the third month and one year, there was no difference," said Kameshwar Prasad, head, Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who led the study.

On an average 280 million bone marrow cells were injected, of which blood forming stem cells were around 2.9 million per patient.

The average age of patients in the study was around 50.

The study, published in the current issue of American journal Stroke, was conducted at AIIMS in New Delhi and four other hospitals covering four cities.

The study comes when many others have been suggesting that stem cells could help treat paralysis in stroke patients. The earlier study was done on a small number of patients as compared to the AIIMs study.

More research needs to be done, before stem cells are used in therapy as in India, many private clinics are openly offering stem cell treatment for various diseases.

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Stem Cells Treatment Not Useful In Stroke Patients Finds Indian Study

SINGAPORE: It was anemotional meeting for bone marrow transplant recipient Ivan Wijaya. On Friday (Nov 14), he finally came face to face with his bone marrow donor Ms Enning Yeo, more than a year after his transplant operation last October.

Ivan, 29, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia in February last year and never imagined being alive today, because finding a match is 1 in 20,000.

"When I was diagnosed with leukaemia, I just felt that I will be dead soon. But I didn't cry and I toughened myself because I didn't want to let my wife down. But in my heart, I still felt scared and didn't know what to do, he said.

Enning, who is 28, signed up for the Bone Marrow Donor Programme in 2006. She likened being selected as a donor to striking a charity lottery.

"It is an altruistic act but on a personal level, I do feel a sense of satisfaction and achievement. People talk about a bucket list of things to do. I don't have my own bucket list but if I did have one, but if I could have check off - that I saved a life - even if it's simply by donating bone marrow is something I'm very proud of, she said.

This year, 19 local donors have taken part in successful bone marrow transplants in Singapore. There were seven such donors last year.

These numbers were revealed by the Bone Marrow Donor Programme, a non-profit organisation that manages Singapore's only register of volunteer bone marrow donors. But with about 50 bone marrow transplant requests received monthly, more donors are needed.

To date, the Bone Marrow Donor Programme has some 48,000 donors on its register. But with an increasing demand for bone marrow transplants, there is an urgent need to recruit more especially from the minority groups. The aim is to recruit 7,000 new donors each year to meet this increasing demand.

CLEARING MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HARVESTING PROCEDURE A CHALLENGE

But a main challenge to get more donors on board is clearing the misconception about the harvesting procedure.

Original post:
Donor meets recipient of bone marrow transplant for the first time

November 13, 2014

Marc-Andr Skelling of East Angus needs help. The 23-year-old man has Hodgkins Lymphoma, a cancer affecting the bodys white blood cells and lymph nodes. He has been told that without a viable donation of bone marrow stem cells he has less than a month to live.

We need to find a donor, its urgent, said Muguette Skelling, Marc-Andrs mother. Were inviting everyone, no matter who they are, to register with Hma-Quebec.

Bone marrow is responsible for the production of red and white blood cells in the body and therefore a bone marrow transplant can be an effective treatment for a range of blood related diseases. Depending on the context, individuals can receive a transplant either from another part of their own body, or from an outside donor.

Individuals in good health who are between 18 and 35 years of age can register to donate in Quebec. Registration is done online through the Hma-Quebec website. Once registration is complete, a test kit containing a cheek swab is mailed to the registrant that must then be returned. According to Mnard, the whole process from registration to getting onto the list takes twelve weeks.

Read the full story in Thursday's Record.

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East Angus man looking for stem cells

How donation is done

Stem cell donation: For peripheral bloodstream cell donation, stem cells are filtered from the donor's blood in a nonsurgical outpatient procedure. Donors may experience head or muscle aches that go away shortly after the donation. They are typically back to their normal routine in one to two days.

Marrow donation: This is a surgical, usually outpatient, procedure using anesthesia. Holes are drilled into the patient's spine to get the marrow. Donors may feel soreness in the lower back afterward. Recovery takes two to seven days.

Outcomes: Survival rate for recipients was 69 percent for unrelated donors and 79 percent for related donors in 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Be the Match is a national registry that connects patients with their donor match for a marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. The registry is looking for diverse donors between age 18 and 44. Information: 800-627-7692 or BeTheMatch.org

Something was killing his wife from within, and Todd Miller had no idea what it was.

He didnt understand why she needed more than 100 blood transfusions. He couldnt fathom why Joselyn, a healthy person who barely got the sniffles, suddenly struggled to lift her arms.

The symptoms started in April 2012, soon after the Millers returned to their Laguna Beach home from the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Joselyn Millers arm and thigh muscles were so tight, she could barely move them.

They saw 10 specialists. No one could figure out what it was.

The second neurologist they saw suspected it was a very rare disease Shulmans syndrome, or eosinophilic fasciitis. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, only 300 known cases have ever been recorded in medical literature.

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Laguna Beach family was given the gift of life, now they're giving it to others

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioCardia, Inc., a leader in cardiovascular regenerative medicine, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the Companys application to begin a Phase III clinical trial of its bone marrow-derived CardiAMP Therapy for heart failure. The clinical trial is a randomized, controlled, multi-center study of 250 patients evaluating CardiAMP Therapy at up to 40 clinical sites.

The CardiAMP Therapy for heart failure integrates a proprietary biomarker panel to identify candidates likely to respond to therapy, a cell processing system consisting of a proprietary, high-dosage formulation of autologous bone marrow-derived cells and a unique transendocardial delivery system that ensures efficient and consistent targeted delivery. This therapy will be reviewed under the PMA regulations by the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) division.

The CardiAMP trial efficacy endpoints include improvements in functional capacity as measured by the Six Minute Walk Test, quality of life as measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, and survival. Safety endpoints include non-inferiority with respect to survival and freedom from major adverse cardiac events.

Co-principal investigators for the trial are Carl Pepine, M.D., and Amish Raval, M.D., who were involved in the trial design. Dr. Pepine is Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the University of Florida (UF) and principal investigator for the UF Center for the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN). He is also past president of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Dr. Raval is Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the University of Wisconsin, where he practices as an interventional cardiologist conducting cardiovascular clinical trials for cell and biologic therapy. He is also Director ofCardiovascularClinical Research and Director of the Regional ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Program.

CardiAMP has the potential to bring an effective therapy forward that will provide meaningful clinical benefit to patients with ischemic heart failure, said Dr. Raval. There is an enormous unmet need here, and CardiAMP is a worthy endeavor that has a high probability of meeting both the safety and the efficacy required to become a therapeutic option for heart failure patients.

CardiAMP builds on and benefits from - what has been done in previous CCTRN trials in that it provides the highest effective dosage that has been studied in a rigorous trial to date, and the companion diagnostic selects patients that have potent autologous bone marrow, said Dr. Pepine. This trial pulls together everything we have learned in the field of autologous bone marrow cell therapy to treat heart failure. There are very promising signals in the Phase II data that we hope to see confirmed in the Phase III trial.

CardiAMP Therapy is based on the role bone marrow cells have in the normal cardiac repair process after an injury to the heart, said Dr. Peter Altman, PhD, CEO of BioCardia. The CardiAMP program presents a solution to issues with autologous cell variability. We believe CardiAMP provides a more potent and consistent dosage than any other autologous bone marrow cell therapy trial for heart failure studied to date. This is noteworthy, as previous clinical trials have supported the benefits of autologous cell therapy for heart function and overall survival in a setting of heart failure.

Studies supporting the CardiAMP Therapy including the Phase I Transendocardial Autologous Bone Marrow in Myocardial Infarction Study, which was published in Eurointervention, and the Phase I/II Transendocardial Autologous Cells in Heart Failure Trial, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - showed statistically and clinically significant results. Trial results have demonstrated an excellent safety profile, as well as functional and quality of life improvements.

About BioCardia

BioCardia, Inc., headquartered in San Carlos, CA is a privately held company developing integrated regenerative medicine therapies to treat cardiovascular disease. The Company's commercial products include the Helix Transendocardial Delivery System and the Morph steerable guide and sheath catheter portfolio.BioCardia partners with other biotherapeutic companies to provide its Helix system and clinical support to their programs studying therapies for the treatment of heart failure, chronic myocardial ischemia and acute myocardial infarction.

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BioCardia, Inc. Announces FDA Acceptance of Phase III Clinical Trial Protocol Studying Bone Marrow-Derived Cell ...

Sabah becomes third to provide bone marrow transplant

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Women and Children's Hospital in Likas became the third government hospital in the country to provide bone marrow transplant after General Hospital Kuala Lumpur (GHKL) and Ampang Hospital.

State Health Director Dr Christina Rundi (pic) said, Tuesday, the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is housed on the 7th Floor of the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Centre of the hospital.

At the official handover of the hospital to the State Health Department in April, last year, she mentioned that bone marrow transplant (also called stem cell transplant) would be possible in Sabah in the near future.

"Since then, we have made the necessary preparations to set up the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

Our nurses went for training at the Ampang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur while we procured the equipment such as stem cell processor and blood irradiator.

"We are fortunate to have the services of Paediatric Haemato-Oncologist, Dr Asohan Thevarajah who reported for work in July.

"And on Oct. 31, our dream came true when the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital performed the first bone marrow transplant on a 12-year-old leukaemic girl from Tuaran," she confirmed, when contacted.

The stem cell processor arrived last December followed by the blood irradiator in August this year. The purpose of the second machine is to sterilise the bone marrow donor's blood to reduce the risk of "graft (donor) versus host (patient)" disease.

A bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside the hollow part of bones which helps form blood cells. Stem cells are immature cells in the bone marrow that give rise to all of one's blood cells.

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Sabah becomes third to provide bone marrow transplant

CHENNAI: It is harder for natives of Tamil Nadu to find a matching donor for a stem cell transplant compared to other states in the country. The suspected villain: Their genes.

A study published recently in British medical journal 'The Lancet' found that the likelihood of finding a matching stem cell donor for patients with blood-related problems in Tamil Nadu is 44.2% provided the registry had 10 lakh donors. The situation is the opposite in Haryana, with people in that state having the best chances (81.2%) of finding a donor.

Experts say consanguineous marriages are to blame. Consanguineous marriages increase the chances of patients finding a match within their small community but limit the possibility of finding one from a general donor pool.

"Unlike in other countries, stem cell variation in India is complex and dependent on ethnic variation," said Dr Dolly Daniel, professor of the department of transfusion medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore, who was party of the study team. "Our aim was to find the size and genetic composition of each region and its impact on the proportion of patients who will be able to ?nd a suitable match."

She said Tamil Nadu could be at the tail-end of the list of states they surveyed because of inbreeding and a limited number of donors.

Stem cells are used to regenerate and repair diseased or damaged tissues. Adult stem cells are drawn from bone marrow, blood and the umbilical cord and are used to treat blood-related ailments like leukemia, thalassemia and as well as immunodeficiency.

The possibility of finding a matching stem cell donor within the family is around 30%.

"Finding a matching stem cell donor for the remaining 70% is a complex process. Most seek a graft from registries of unrelated adult donors or banked umbilical cord blood units," said Dr P Srinivasan, co-founder and chairman of Jeevan Stem Cell Bank.

Although the India stem cell industry is estimated to touch $540 million (Rs 3,250 crore) by 2015, the study noted that in terms of the number of donors, India has lagged in meeting demand. The study surveyed 10 adult donor and umbilical cord bank registries and clinical transplant centres in India and studied stem cells of 26 239 individuals.

The possibility of finding a perfect match within India is an average of 14.4% for a registry size of 25,000 and touches 60.6% for a size of 10 lakh. Registries in the country currently have around 1 lakh donors. The study said only when Indian registries have more than 2 lakh donors would patients have a good chance of finding the right match.

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Toughest for Tamil Nadu patients to get donor stem cells

Published: Sunday, November 9, 2014 at 9:42 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, November 9, 2014 at 9:42 p.m.

The condition is cancer of the bone marrow. The average age of onset is early to mid-60s and it appears to occur more commonly in men and African-Americans. There are approximately 20,000 new cases of myeloma each year in the U.S. It is the same as plasma cell myeloma, where malignant cells accumulate within the bone marrow and can cause bones to break with no warning.

Brown, a native Ocalan, has the enthusiasm of a cheerleader over a new support group she has started, called Stomping out Myeloma.

She chose to have meetings at 11 a.m. the second Tuesday of each month as many multiple myeloma patients do not drive at night. The group meets at Howard Academy Safe Haven, 306 NW Seventh Ave., Ocala.

Brown and Linda McCray, also of Ocala, receive treatment for multiple myeloma at UF Health Shands in Gainesville. Melodie Jennings, of Ocala, gets care at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Brown said a high percentage of local patients had no day-time support group.

You can tell people have been holding things in, she said after the groups initial meeting Oct. 14.

She said patients with any type of cancer are welcome, as well as family members and caregivers. The next meeting will take place Tuesday.

Brown, who will turn 50 this month, exhibits a vitality that can cause those who meet her to remark, You dont look like you have cancer.

With a bubbly laugh, she replies, Just what is cancer supposed to look like?

Read this article:
Local myeloma survivors band together for support

WALES NEWS

The family of eight-year-old Hollie Clark broke the news yesterday on the Facebook page that they used to raise awareness of her battle with the bone marrow disorder MDS.

As part of a social media campaign to find a donor, celebrities including football player Gareth Bale posed with their underwear on their heads to rise awareness.

Hollie's father Stephen, of Penylan, Cardiff, wrote: "Sad news today I'm afraid. After a seven month battle with MDS Hollie passed away peacefully in her parents' arms.

"It is utterly heartbreaking and makes no sense.

"We have a million memories and take huge comfort in the number of Anthony Nolan registrations that the campaign made.

"We are sure that someday soon one of you will be asked to donate stem cells and give someone like Hollie a chance.

"Thank you all for your support. We would appreciate some time and space to try and pick ourselves up.

"Love from Hollie's Dad. The proudest Dad in the world."

WALES NEWS

View original post here:
'Utterly heartbreaking' Family mourn girl who sparked social media bone marrow campaign

An eight-year-old girl whose hunt for a bone marrow donor inspired hundreds to take selfies with their pants on their heads has died.

Hollie Clarks family broke the news on the Facebook page that they used to raise awareness of her battle with the bone marrow disorder MDS, Wales Online reports.

Her dad Stephen of Penylan, Cardiff, wrote: Sad news today Im afraid.

"After a seven month battle with MDS Hollie past away peacefully in her parents arms. It is utterly heartbreaking and makes no sense.

We have a million memories and take huge comfort in the number of Anthony Nolan registrations that the campaign made.

We are sure that someday soon one of you will be asked to donate stem cells and give someone like Hollie a chance.

Thank you all for your support. We would appreciate some time and space to try and pick ourselves up. Love from Hollies Dad. The proudest Dad in the world.

The family also used the @HelpHollie Twitter account to tell all those who had supported their campaign the news.

They wrote: Very sadly today our brave little angel passed away. Hollie was the happiest child ever and we are blessed that she was part of our family.

RIP Hollie. We tried our best. You were the best daughter any mum and dad could wish for. Thank you.

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Inspirational girl loses fight with rare condition - after encouraging hundreds to wear pants on head

Miami, FL (PRWEB) November 05, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group, its subsidiary Stem Cell Training, Inc. and Dr. J. Victor Garcia have announced plans to conduct the Adipose Derived Harvesting, Isolation and Re-integration Training Course in Barcelona, Spain Nov. 22-23. 2014.

The two-day, hands-on intensive training course, which will be conducted by Garcia, was developed for physicians and high-level practitioners to learn techniques in harvesting and reintegrating stem cells derived from adipose tissue and bone marrow. The objective of the training is to bridge the gap between bench science in the laboratory and the doctors office by teaching effective, in-office regenerative medicine techniques.

For more information, visit the Stem Cell Training, Inc. website, email info(at)stemcelltraining(dot)net, or call 305-224-1858.

About Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions.

With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

About Stem Cell Training, Inc.:

Stem Cell Training, Inc. is a multi-disciplinary company offering coursework and training in 35 cities worldwide. Coursework offered focuses on minimally invasive techniques for harvesting stem cells from adipose tissue, bone marrow and platelet-rich plasma. By equipping physicians with these techniques, the goal is to enable them to return to their practices, better able to apply these techniques in patient treatments.

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Global Stem Cells Group to Hold Practical, Hands-on Training Course on Adipose-derived Stem Cell Harvesting, Isolation ...

Durham, NC (PRWEB) November 05, 2014

Half of all traumatic injuries to the face result in a loss of teeth and the surrounding tissue and bone that once supported them, which in turn makes these types of injuries very debilitating and difficult to treat. But in a new study published in the latest issue of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, doctors at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry (UMSoD), Ann Arbor, have found a new way to regenerate a patients jawbone through the use of stem cells.

The procedure, done under local anesthesia, significantly speeds up the healing time relative to that of traditional bone grafting while allowing a patient to experience only a minimal amount of pain.

Part of a larger clinical trial, the findings highlighted in this issue focus on a 45-year-old woman missing seven front teeth plus 75 percent of the bone that once supported them, the result of a blow to her face five years earlier. She was left with severe functional and cosmetic deficiencies, since the missing bone made it impossible for her to have dental implant-based teeth replacements.

Darnell Kaigler, DDS, MS, PhD, an assistant professor of dentistry in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, was a lead member of the study team. "In small jawbone defects of the mouth created after teeth were extracted, we have placed gelatin sponges populated with stem cells into these areas to successfully grow bone."

Since the sponge material is soft, it does not work in larger areas. Thus, he and his team of researchers decided to try b-tricalcium phosphate (b-TCP) as a scaffold upon which to place the cells instead. "For treating larger jawbone defects, it is important to have a scaffold material that is rigid and more stable to support bone growth," he explained.

They then placed the b-TCP scaffold, which had been seeded with a mixed population of bone marrow-derived autologous stem and progenitor cells 30 minutes prior to treatment at room temperature, into the defective area of the patients mouth during a procedure that requires only local anesthesia. Four months later, 80 percent of her missing jawbone had been regenerated, allowing them to proceed with placing oral implants that supported a dental prosthesis to once again give her a complete set of teeth.

Study team member Sharon Aronovich, DMD, FRCD(C), a clinical assistant professor of dentistry in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the UMSoD, said, I am very grateful to all the patients and researchers that participated in this study. Thanks to everyone's efforts, we are one step closer to providing patients with a minimally invasive option for implant-based tooth replacement.

As the first report to describe a cell therapy for craniofacial trauma reconstruction, this research serves as the foundation for expanded studies using this approach, said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

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Read more from the original source:
Stem cells help doctors restore womans smile, regenerating bone to hold dental implants

Mark and Mindy Ammons lost their 2-year-old son, Christopher, in 1988 to neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. In 2009, Mindy Ammons donated her own stem cells to a woman with cancer. And this weekend, the family's youngest son will prepare a bone marrow donor registry in memory of his oldest brother as an Eagle Scout project.

Family photo

Bone marrow donation is close to the heart for the Ammons family of Provo.

Mark and Mindy Ammons lost their 2-year-old son, Christopher, in 1988 to neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. In 2009, Mindy Ammons donated her own stem cells to a woman with cancer. And this weekend, the familys youngest son will lead a bone marrow registry drive as an Eagle Scout project in memory of his oldest brother.

We are in the unique position of having been on both sides of the process, Mindy Ammons said.

In the "Be The Match" flier created for the project, Will Ammons, 13, explains that Christophers only chance of survival was a bone marrow transplant, but sadly, no one in our family was a match, so he had to be his own donor.

Christopher underwent treatment at the UCLA Medical Center where, after five days of chemotherapy, three days of full-body radiation and then surgery, he received his own marrow as a transplant. He died two weeks into the process, just shy of his third birthday.

Over the years, the Ammonses talked about this experience with their children and stayed informed on treatment advances. When it came time for their second oldest son, Jon, to do his Eagle Scout project, he didn't just want to do something to check off on a list. He wanted a meaningful project.

He wanted to do something that would make a difference and was cancer-related," Mindy Ammons said.

They discussed raising money for cancer research but decided that would be like dropping a coin in a well, she said.

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Family honors child's memory through bone marrow registry and stem cell donation

Mark and Mindy Ammons lost their 2-year-old son, Christopher, in 1988 to neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. In 2009, Mindy Ammons donated her own stem cells to a woman with cancer. And this weekend, the family's youngest son will prepare a bone marrow donor registry in memory of his oldest brother as an Eagle Scout project.

Family photo

Bone marrow donation is close to the heart for the Ammons family of Provo.

Mark and Mindy Ammons lost their 2-year-old son, Christopher, in 1988 to neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. In 2009, Mindy Ammons donated her own stem cells to a woman with cancer. And this weekend, the familys youngest son will lead a bone marrow registry drive as an Eagle Scout project in memory of his oldest brother.

We are in the unique position of having been on both sides of the process, Mindy Ammons said.

In the "Be The Match" flier created for the project, Will Ammons, 13, explains that Christophers only chance of survival was a bone marrow transplant, but sadly, no one in our family was a match, so he had to be his own donor.

Christopher underwent treatment at the UCLA Medical Center where, after five days of chemotherapy, three days of full-body radiation and then surgery, he received his own marrow as a transplant. He died two weeks into the process, just shy of his third birthday.

Over the years, the Ammonses talked about this experience with their children and stayed informed on treatment advances. When it came time for their second oldest son, Jon, to do his Eagle Scout project, he didn't just want to do something to check off on a list. He wanted a meaningful project.

He wanted to do something that would make a difference and was cancer-related," Mindy Ammons said.

They discussed raising money for cancer research but decided that would be like dropping a coin in a well, she said.

Original post:
Family saves lives through bone marrow registry and stem cell donation

A SELFLESS former Rhyl High pupil has met with the man whose life he saved two years ago. David Maguire, 27-years-old, described it as an unreal experience when he met with 65-year-old Peter Threader at the Oriel House in St Asaph - the man who he had donated his bone marrow too in May 2012

Mr Maguire, who works predominately as a learner support worker for Cambian Pengwern College in Rhuddlan, became a member of Anthony Nolan a blood cancer charity and bone marrow register when he was just aged 16 and nine years later, he received a telephone call asking him to come for more blood tests in London.

It was revealed that Mr Maguire was a perfect match for Mr Threader - who lives in Stockport - and had been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer in which the white blood cells affect the red blood cells.

Mr Maguire, of Rhyl South West, who has a brother Kevin, sister Michelle, and parents Dave Morris and Linda Mert, said: I had to have a short course of injections for four days.

I felt a little achy. When I went back to the clinic in London a needle was placed in both arms and I lay back and whilst being treated like royalty. My best mate Silvana came with me and I was hooked up to a special machine for about six hours. They count the stem cells to see whether they have enough, then Silvana and I went back to the hotel to get ready to party. We got back just after 4am so it was not too painful.

Mr Maguire said he was pleased to receive a letter from Mr Threader to say that the transplant had been a success. The men continued to send letters initially just knowing each other as recipient and donor before exchanging details.

After speaking by email for three months, Peter asked would I meet him and I jumped at the chance, Mr Maguire added.

He looked well and healthy. I got a lovely card off his daughter.

It is strange them saying thank you to me as I have been saying thank you for giving me this life experience that money cant buy.

Mr Maguire is now hoping he can encourage more people to sign up to Anthony Nolan.

Read more here:
Rhyl bone marrow donor and recipient meet two years after life-saving transplant

How Sickle Cell Anemia Is Treated by Bone Marrow Transplant
Sickle Cell Anemia is Successfully treated by Bone Marrow Transplant in India. A bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem.

By: medsurgeindia

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How Sickle Cell Anemia Is Treated by Bone Marrow Transplant - Video

Adult stem cells can change the healthcare landscape

A recent Colorado political advertisement highlighting a candidates stance on stem cell research shows the issue is still at the forefront of public consciousness. Part of what makes stem cell research such a hot button issue is the number of persistent myths that propagate many of the heated emotions surrounding the topic.

Much of the stem cell controversy comes from the fact many people only know of embryonic stem cells, which are generated from fertilized, frozen eggs at in-vitro fertilization centers. These are not the only type of stem cells. Other types include umbilical cord blood and adult stem cells.

Umbilical cord blood is extracted from birth and preserved for the future benefit of the child. While this type of stem cell technique is safe and it is becoming commonplace to store the cells, there is currently no way to utilize these cells beyond compassionate care cases which are few and far between. However, adult stem cells are currently in clinical use today and are easily and safely harvested from the patients fat and bone marrow reserves. The adult stem cells can be utilized for a variety of treatment options, which include joint, ligament and tendon injuries, back pain, and autoimmune diseases.

Polls indicate a shifting paradigm in how people view stem cell use and research. A Pew Research survey conducted in 2013 revealed only 16 percent believed non-embryonic stem cell research was immoral. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI recently gave his approval on adult stem cell research, I pray that your commitment to adult stem cell research will bring great blessings for the future of man and genuine enrichment to his culture.

Those with an understanding of adult stem cells know there is no controversy as they do not require the harming of an embryo. While progress in the realm of public opinion is being made, regulatory and administrative difficulties are still hampering medical innovation according to some healthcare experts.

Adult stem cells hold great promise for the future of medicine because of their potential to improve cartilage health, repair lumbar discs, and slow progression of autoimmune diseases. The ability to utilize stem cells from ones own body to safely and naturally heal itself from many different ailments is beginning to revolutionize healthcare.

With more public support and cooperative regulatory policies, adult stem cells have the potential to forever change the healthcare landscape as profoundly as the mark antibiotics made on medicine.

Dr. Scott Brandt

ThriveMD Aspen

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Letter: Adult stem cells can change the healthcare landscape

Irelands first human stem cell trial using lab-grown cells is due to get underway in Galway in the new year following approval from the medicines watchdog.

The trial will involve extracting adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from the bone marrow of patients with a condition known as critical limb ischemia (CLI) a severe blockage of the arteries resulting in marked reduction in blood flow to the extremities.

Reduction in blood flow to the legs puts patients at risk of gangrene, ulceration, and amputation, and the Galway trial will look at the use of MSCs to grow new stems cells which will then be injected back into the patients leg with the hope of growing new blood cells and improving circulation.

The harvested stem cells will be grown to much greater quantities in a highly specialised lab before being injected back into the patients leg.

Tim OBrien, director of the Galway-based Regenerative Medicine Institute, said their research was focused on whether MSC therapy could improve blood flow to the legs in patients with CLI a condition common in diabetics and therefore avoid the need for amputation. The trial is aimed predominantly at testing the safety and feasibility of what is very much an experimental therapy, Prof OBrien said.

We will be doing a dose escalation study, with some patients given a small dose, others a medium dose and the remainder a high dose, he said. We want to try and establish how many cells do you need to give a patient.

The study, the first in humans in Ireland, will be a year-long study involving nine patients. Prof OBrien said they would not be advertising for participants, but rather would let clinicians know and await referrals of suitable patients.

In the meantime, they would be preparing the custom-built facility where the cells are grown, at the Centre for Cell Manufacturing Ireland in NUI Galway, the first such facility in Ireland to receive a licence from the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

Prof OBrien said MSCs have a lot of properties that may make them useful in treating a wide variety of disease because of their reparative and regenerative qualities.

Prof OBrien delivered a talk yesterday on the Therapeutic Potential of MSCs in Diabetic Complications on the second day of a two-day international stem cell conference at NUI Galway.

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Lab-grown stem cell trial gets green light