Stem cell therapy: Hope or hype?

Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.

DIABETES, Parkinson's disease, degenerative disc disease, macular degeneration, stroke — what do these have in common? Besides being relatively debilitating conditions, all of these have been treated with stem cell therapy. Since the first stem cell transplant in 1959, stem cell therapy has been touted as a promising treatment modality with applications in many diseases. Zakrzewski describes stem cells (SCs) as unspecialized cells capable of differentiating into various cell types and possessing the ability for self-renewal. Specifically, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being explored in the treatment of prevalent conditions, including but not limited to neuropathologies, heart disease, diabetes and orthopedic diseases. These cells sourced from the bone marrow, umbilical cord, fat and even dental pulp have been found to be of significant use in regenerative medicine. In recent years, research has focused on the ability of stem cells to release various soluble factors and exosomes, which play a role in tissue regeneration.

It is perplexing how we are now hearing effective cures to what we believe to be intractable diseases, isn't it? As with most new discoveries in the field of medicine, all this new information begs the question: Are stem cells hope or hype? Studies on cell therapies done over the past decade give us hope for their use in treating the aforementioned conditions and more, as they have shown efficacy in treating these diseases and even reversing aging. However, it is important to manage expectations, as stem cell therapy does have its limitations. They are not and should not be promoted as a universal treatment. Specifically, in genetic conditions like Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) or Hunter syndrome, where the underlying issue is at the genetic level, cell therapies cannot offer the same hope for treatment.

HARVARD VERITAS