Reply #45: Bone marrow registry.

[cosmicaug]

sherilocks wrote:

In this particular case the stem cells belonged to the patient, but it certainly proves the enormous value of stem cells in treating various diseases. Right now, for instance, a leukemia patient over a certain age cannot receive a bone marrow transplant because the drugs used to prevent rejection will ultimately kill them. Below are some articles that can better explain this than I can.

You are correct. Of course, if this treatment pans out, the idea would undoubtedly be to always use the patient's own stem cells so rejection would remain a non-issue (except for the issue of autoimmunity --and there's no strong reason to think, at the moment, that embryonically derived stem cells would be less susceptible to this).

sherilocks wrote:

I tend to get a little overwrought over all the misinformation about embryonic stem cells because I was a donor for an experimental leukemia treatment for my sister who was 60 at the time. Watching her recovery from the leukemia, only to see her suffer from the anti-rejection drugs was unbearable. I'm talking blindness, inability to walk, and ultimately breast cancer. My sister survived the immediate death sentence she had received from her leukemia, but she ultimately died from the anti-rejection drugs. Her life was prolonged for a few precious years and her grand-daughter at least will be able to remember her. Everytime I think about my sister's suffering and I think about * denying people like her the possibility of a cure, I just want to scream.

I'll take that comment as an opportunity to mention the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) Registry so that others may consider signing up for it.