Can you stop my MS?

#MSResearch on TV Tonight at 8.30 BBC1

Tonight on the BBC panorama at 8.30 there is a programme on Haematopeoitic stem cell transplantation called 

                                 Can You Stop My MS?



Prof Sharrack from Sheffield has agreed to do a Guest post and if it arrives we will launch it tomorrow.

Likewise, Dr Turner (QMUL) and colleagues (from around London) will provide information about access to this type of treatment on behalf of the London AHSCT collaborative group. 

This is the ultimate in Immune rebooting and is "Alemtuzumab Plus". You collect your bone marrow stem cells then wipe out your immune system and then replace it with stem cells which regrow and hopefully your MS goes. 

Maybe it is the drugs used in the treatment that do the business, but it can be very effective at blocking MRI activity and relapses. 

The data are relatively strong

However it is also clear that there can be significant risks from this proceedure, which maybe a 0.5-1% risk of death from fatal infections (the death rate depends on the centres doing the proceedures and this has dropped dramaticaly over recent years, but do not do this with an unreputable group as the fatality risk can be much higher!).

The data also suggest that the procedure is not successful in all cases and disease returns

Importantly this procedure works best for people with relapsing disease, who have not developed progressive disease yet, so it is probably not a miracle cure for progressive MS

Is this on balance better than other induction treatments, then the jury is out but people recieving HSCT tend to have aggessive course and so they would be predicted to do badly, yet the results are good.

However if a neuro is scared about prescribing alemtuzumab, then they are going to be bricking-it when it comes to HSCT, but should it be their choice?

The cost to the NHS is apparently more than cost of DMT but it could be a one-off cost

What does the programme show ?I don't know and will look forward to seeing it  tonight at 8.30 Greenwich mean time. 

The MS Society say

A Panorama documentary about MS and stem cell treatment will be broadcast on BBC One on Monday 14 December at 8.30pm.

The documentary was filmed at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield and focuses on the experience of patients who underwent Autologous (From yourself) Haematopoietic Stem Cell (Blood stem cells that originated in the bone marrow) Transplantation (AHSCT) some time ago and had dramatic results, as well as two patients who have just started the treatment. It also features interviews with the researchers involved.

What is AHSCT?

AHSCT is being investigated as a treatment for MS. The aim is to remove the harmful immune cells that attack the brain and spinal cord, and then re-boot the immune system using a person’s own (autologous) stem cells.

The Research Team at the National Centre will be happy to help with any queries

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