Stem Cell Procedure Successfully Treats Amyloidosis Patients
BOSTON, MA -- July 3, 2007 -- Tandem cycles of high-dose chemotherapy
and blood stem cell transplantation can help treat patients with
immunoglobulin-
initial treatment with this method, according to researchers from the
Stem Cell Transplant Program and the Amyloid Treatment and Research
Program at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC).
These findings were published on-line in the June 25th issue of Bone
Marrow Transplantation.
AL amyloidosis occurs when clonal plasma cells in bone marrow produce
proteins that misfold and deposit in tissues, leading to organ
failure and death. Between 1,200 and 3,200 new cases are reported
each year in the United States, although researchers believe the
disease is highly underdiagnosed.
To determine whether a second course of this treatment could be
beneficial, the researchers enrolled 62 patients on this trial, of
whom 17 patients received a second course of high-dose chemotherapy
and blood stem cell transplantation who had not received a complete
remission from their initial treatment. Of the 17, five (31%) were
successfully treated and achieved a complete hematologic remission of
their amyloidosis after receiving a second course of treatment.
According to lead researcher, Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD, associate
professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and
clinical director of the Stem Cell Transplant Program, section of
hematology/oncology at BUMC, this approach increases the proportion
of patients who ultimately achieve a complete response and appears to
be associated with an improvement in overall survival.
"For patients who can tolerate this treatment approach, such
treatment appears to result in the highest complete hematologic
response rate of any treatment for AL amyloidosis to date," said
Sanchorawala. "In addition, patients showed improvements in both
organ function and quality of life," she added.
The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of
Health, Food and Drug Administration, the Gerry Foundation, and the
Amyloid Research Fund at Boston University.
SOURCE: Boston University
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The CNS Healing Group
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