Columns The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Stem Cells, Sense of Smell, Cannabis Guide MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Stem Cells, Sense of Smell, Cannabis Guide by Ed Tobias | March 26, 2018 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link Blood Stem Cell Transplants Improve RRMS Patients’ Disability, Phase 3 Trial Shows Here’s yet another study that shows the benefits of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, or AHSCT — the procedure in which a patient’s own stem cells are harvested and used to rebuild the immune system. I hope it moves us closer, quickly, toward the day when the Food and Drug Administration will approve this treatment for patients in the U.S. Blood stem cell transplants lead to significant improvements in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients’ disability, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. The 110 patients who took part in the MIST study (NCT00273364) were experiencing relapses after receiving standard therapies such as beta interferon, Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), Novantrone (mitoxantrone), Tysabri (natalizumab), Gilenya (fingolimod), and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). *** Treatment with Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Safe with Sustained Benefits for MS, Trial Shows Here’s one more article about a stem cell study. In this case, it involves mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the stem cells that are found in a mother’s umbilical cord. Treatment with umbilical cord stem cells was found to be safe and to lead to sustained improvements in disability and brain lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a clinical trial. The study, “Clinical feasibility of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of multiple sclerosis,” was published in the Journal of Translational Medicine. *** Poorer Sense of Smell Can Be Evident Even in Early Stages of MS, Study Says My wife wonders why I don’t smell the same things that she does. I’ve always thought it was because her nose is super-sensitive. Maybe, however, it’s my nose that has the problem. Or, should I say, it’s my MS-impacted brain that has trouble smelling the roses. People with multiple sclerosis (MS) can indeed have a poorer-than-usual sense of smell, with problems possibly starting at early diseases stages, a small Turkish study reports. This work supports previous research noting olfactory problems in MS patients. It also argues that longer disease duration and more relapses are associated with greater difficulties, reflecting “more extensive involvement of the central nervous system and olfactory network in MS disease,” the researchers said. *** GeneFo Guide Explains How Medical Cannabis Can Help MS Patients There’s a good deal of interest in using marijuana to treat MS symptoms. There’s a thirst for information about what’s legal where and what’s required to buy medical cannabis products in states where it’s OK. As this story reports, there’s now a guide to help you find your way. More studies are showing that medical cannabis can alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a company that helps patients, doctors, and others understand genetic conditions better. The observation came in GeneFo’s 2018 Guide to Clinical Effects of Medical Cannabis. *** Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis. Print This Page About the Author Ed Tobias People say to write what you know and Ed Tobias knows about MS. He's lived with the illness since 1980, when he was 32 years old. Ed's a retired, award-winning broadcast journalist and his column combines his four decades of MS experiences with news and comments about the latest in the MS community. In addition to writing his column, Ed is one of the patient moderators on the MS News Today Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites. He’s also the author of “The Multiple Sclerosis Toolbox: Hints and Tips for Living with M.S.” Ed and his wife split their time between the Washington, D.C. suburbs and Florida’s Gulf Coast, trying to follow the sun. Tags AHSCT, medical marijuana, MSCs Comments Shawnee Rose Bush Can we do the umbilical cord stem cell now? I did go to Chicago & had the stem cells removed & put back into my body. Some symptoms improved & some improved greatly for a week or more, but went back. Reply Leave a comment Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published. Your Name Your Email Your Comment Post Comment
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