Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) is recognized as a curative treatment option for various types of cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other life-threatening diseases. It aims to prevent the immune system from damaging the myelin, a protective tissue around nerves in the brain and the spine, by removing the damaged and confused immune system of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patient and replacing it with a new and healthy one using their own stem cells.
The HSCT procedure can stop the development of new lesions, which are scar tissues in the spine and/or brain caused by myelin deterioration, from forming in the spine and brain. It also prevents further damage to myelin and helps restore proper electrical flow within the nervous system. Many MS patients who underwent HSCT did not experience new lesions and saw a reduction in their existing lesions’ size, which increased signal flow throughout the patient’s nervous system. In addition to the halting of the underlying autoimmune disease, clinical and symptomatic improvement can also result from the reinstatement of appropriate, healthy signaling from nerves to muscles.
Studies and clinical trials have proven that HSCT for MS patients is an effective therapeutic approach to reduce or eliminate a series of relapses, cease further disease progression, and stop the effects of the disorder, such as inflammation and immune attacks. The reasons for this promising therapy’s success are its lower toxicity and ability to replace the immune system, which improves disability after treatment.
