Stem cells Treatment of Diabetes
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Content
- What is cell therapy for diabetes mellitus?
- How is cell therapy applied for the treatment of diabetes mellitus?
- At what stage of development are clinical trials of stem cell treatment for diabetes mellitus?
- Where to undergo stem cell treatment for diabetes mellitus?
What is cell therapy for diabetes mellitus?
This is a method of treating diabetes mellitus by injecting stem cells – own or donor ones. The method is based on the ability of the body to reproduce damaged structures of the body.
Stem cell treatment can produce positive results when treating type 1 diabetes. The treatment makes it possible to reduce the dose of insulin and the number of injections, as well as reduce the amount of sugar reducing agents. In treating type 2 diabetes mellitus, it helps achieve prolonged remission.
Cell therapy for diabetes is capable of both preventing complications and eliminating the existing ones.
The treatment has a regenerative effect on such complications of diabetes as:
- Ulcers
- Diabetic foot
- Kidney damage
- Atherosclerosis of blood vessels
- Retinopathy
Stem cells replace the damaged ones and stimulate the formation of new tissue. Any patient who has no contraindications can try cell therapy for diabetes.
In case of the type 1 diabetes mellitus:
- Stem cells are transformed into beta cells of the pancreas, where they start to produce insulin
- They stop the autoimmune factor i.e, an attack on the patient's own protective functions of the body
In case of the type 2 diabetes mellitus:
- Stem cells increase the sensitivity of cellular receptors to insulin
- Stem cells are transformed into vascular cells, stimulating them to regenerate after being damaged (as a result of the interaction of proteins with sugar)
Cell therapy for treating diabetes is contraindicated for patients who:
- Have an acute stage of infectious or chronic diseases
- Pregnant or are in the period of lactation
In this case, the patient needs to achieve remission / give birth / wait for the termination of lactation. Only after that, will it be possible to start the therapy of diabetes with stem cells.
STEM CELL TREATMENT of Optic Nerve Atrophy
How is cell therapy applied for the treatment of diabetes mellitus?
Before having cell therapy, the patient undergoes a thorough diagnosis. If there are no contraindications, preparatory therapy is prescribed. The goal is to stabilize the sugar content in the patient's blood.
In various clinical situations, one of five types of stem cells is used:
- Autologous or donor cells from the umbilical cord blood or umbilical cord. The umbilical cord blood which was collected at the time of the child's birth is unfrozen. The material is stored in the cryobank. It is possible to use both own material and cells of a relative or a donor who is not a relative.
- Own cells taken from fat. To achieve this, the doctor takes a puncture with a syringe of adipose tissue from the patient under local anesthesia.
- Peripheral blood cells are extracted by a process called leukocytapheresis. The blood of the patient (or compatible donor) circulates through an apheresis apparatus for several hours. In the process, the necessary type of cells is separated.
- Cells from own or donor bone marrow. Using a wide needle, the bone marrow puncture is taken from the sternum or femur.
- Fetal cells taken from an aborted fetus. The fetus is used from about 6 weeks of gestation. This type of stem cells is used only in some countries.
When using peripheral blood cells (the most common option), the treatment regimen includes the following stages:
- After cells are collected with the process of leukocytapheresis, they are cryopreserved with liquid nitrogen
- After 2-3 weeks the patient undergoes conditioning: immunosuppressors are prescribed(drugs that suppress the immunity)
- Then, the stem cells are thawed and injected intravenously
- After the engraftment process the patient is discharged
- Within the next 2 months the patient undergoes weekly outpatient examinations: clinical, hematological, metabolic and immunological assessments
- Later – examination for the period of 5 years
After the introduction of stem cells, the patient is prescribed maintenance medication. The patient should be observed as an outpatient, blood sugar levels are monitored and the patient follows a diabetic diet after therapy. This is necessary to monitor the dynamics of improvements and to adjust treatment as needed.
At what stage of development are clinical trials of stem cell treatment for diabetes mellitus?
At the beginning of 2017 the United States completed the second phase of testing cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes. The method is based on the complete destruction of the immune system. In a similar way, oncological blood diseases are treated all over the world. First, the hematopoietic stem cells are harvested from the patient. Then, with the help of cytostatics, the immune system of the organism is suppressed. After the hematopoiesis system of the patient is destroyed, the patient is introduced with the cells which were removed in advance. This approach enables doctors to restart the hematopoiesis process. This way the researchers hope to "fix" the immune system, and prevent it from attacking its own organism. At the end of this phase, patients who have participated in the tests have a long-term remission – an average of 3.5 years. The pancreas cells of these patients partially resumed their function of producing insulin.
Stem cells treatment for type 1 diabetes is an alternative to traditional replacement therapy. However, treatment with stem cells does not exclude insulin injections. Cell therapy can only eliminate complications and reduce the dose of substitution drugs, but not replace them. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which can not be completely cured.
Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who have undergone cell therapy, can expect a long-term remission up to full recovery. In this form of diabetes, the body produces enough insulin. The problem is in the cell receptors, which lose sensitivity to insulin. Stem cells can instruct the body to "fix" this function, producing new cells with "healthy" receptors.
There is not a single medical case where a direct link between tumor formation and cell therapy for treating diabetes has been proved.
Patient’s review:
"Booking Health does a really good job!!
I am a diabetes patient from.
Booking worked really well, organized things fast and direct (sometimes too unexpected maybe) – thanks a lot to Yuliya and Mira!
And the interpreter was really skillful. He has 7 languages in his knowledge and works well with people solving issues. I would recommend the company to others."
Zogaj Gani, Iceland
Where to undergo stem cell treatment for diabetes mellitus?
Treatment of diabetes mellitus with stem cells is currently being studied in a number of countries at the research centers and clinics. Treatment is appointed on the basis of a medical consultation where doctors of different specialties participate. You can receive stem cell treatment for diabetes mellitus at the Clinic of Advanced Biological Medicine, Frankfurt-am-Main. The average cost of treatment is € 22,982.
Booking Health will help you undergo innovative stem cell therapy abroad. Booking Health is the medical tourism operator that has been organizing the treatment of people with diabetes mellitus from 75 countries in the world's leading hospitals for more than 10 years.
Booking Health will help you:
- Choose a hospital and communicate your physician in advance
- Make an appointment for the desired date
- Explore the treatment program in advance
- Receive treatment at prices for the residents of the country, without additional fees and coefficients for foreign patients (saving up to 50%)
- Control the cost of treatment and bills from the hospital
- Communicate with the hospital and physician after treatment completion
- Purchase necessary medicines abroad and ship them
Booking Health also offers top-level organizational services, such as booking hotels, plane tickets, transfers; services of an interpreter and personal medical coordinator.
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Our editorial policy, which details our commitment to accuracy and transparency, is available here. Click this link to review our policies.
Sources:
Read:
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Stem Cell Treatment for Diabetes Type 2 in Germany
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