Stem Cell Transplants May Harm Recipient's Sex Life

THURSDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Blood and bone marrow stem cell transplants may put a damper on the sex lives of cancer patients, a new study suggests.

This type of stem cell transplant is an increasingly effective form of treatment for patients with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Writing in the Oct. 24 issue of Blood, researchers say that while stem cell transplant was once tied to a high risk of death, survival rates have steadily risen and there's now more focus on the patients' quality of life, including their sexual well-being.

"It is not often that the transplant team and patient will have a conversation about how this procedure could impact their sex life, even after recovery," study lead author F. Lennie Wong, of City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., said in a journal news release. "However, we hope these findings will help encourage patients and their doctors to openly discuss concerns related to sexual dysfunction and address them with specialists who can help."

The new study included 152 men and 125 women averaging 48 years of age, who underwent stem cell transplants between 2001 and 2005, and were followed-up for three years.

The percentage of men who said they were sexually active fell from 61 percent before the procedure to 54 percent afterwards, but rose from 37 percent to 52 percent among women, according to the study.

Among men who received total body radiation, there was a nearly 18 percent decline in sexual function, a 32 percent decrease in sexual satisfaction, a 26 percent drop in both sexual behavior/experience and quality of orgasm, and a 17 percent decrease in sex drive/relationship. Radiation treatment did not appear to affect women in these areas, the study authors noted in the news release.

Men who developed stem cell transplant rejection -- where the body's immune system fights the new cells -- had a 21 percent decrease in sexual thoughts/fantasy and a 24 percent decline in the quality of orgasm, the findings showed. Women who experienced transplant rejection had a 27 percent decline in both sexual satisfaction and sexual arousal.

Overall, women experienced significantly worse sexual effects than men, despite the fact that their sexual activity increased after their transplant, the investigators concluded.

The researchers believe that nearly half of people who undergo stem cell transplant are sexually inactive three years after their transplant. Patients may benefit from speaking with their doctors about their sexual health, the authors suggested.

-- Robert Preidt

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Stem Cell Transplants May Harm Recipient's Sex Life

Metro Detroit Boy A ‘Living Miracle’ After Stem Cell Treatment For Cerebral Palsy

SHELBY TWP. (WWJ) - Thanks to modern technology and medical breakthrough, a metro Detroit boy with cerebral palsy is experiencing a miracle.

We first met the Kijeks last Januaryand between smiles and laughter, we met Drew. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after birth,life with Drew hasnt been easy.

If he tried sitting and we let him go for even a split second, he would just tip over because he didnt have any balance, Drews mother Maureen Kijek told WWJs Kathryn Larson.

But now a new door has opened for the Shelby Township boy. Drew was one of the first children in the world to participate in a procedure to treat his cerebral palsy with the use of cord blood stem cells.

He would always get very frustrated, being trapped in a body that doesnt work. And so for me to see him smile and to see the look of contentment on his face and pride when he does something, however small that it might seem to other people, itshuge for him. You know, the fact that hes doing two things at once, hes sitting independently, hes able to use his hands where before he could only really do one little thing at a time, Kijek said.

The 12-year-olds physical therapist Kathleen Lewandowski said she almost cant believe her eyes.

For us, we were thrilled if he held his head up for five seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, if he could track something consistently and for him to sit, I mean, its a miracle. Ive been a therapist for 10 years and that doesnt happen, Lewandowski said.

Kijek, who banked her sons stem cells at birth,saidits nothing short of a miracle.

Its incredible and its all those things that people think Oh, it could never happen, or its science fiction or whatever, but its not. Its just the bodys way of healing itself and getting back to the wholeness that it always wanted to be. And, you know, with the help of the stem cells, which replace the bad cells, Kijek said. I dont see any reason why the FDA wouldnt do this. Its safe, its effective, it works.

Shortly after we metDrew last year, the Kijeks flew to Georgia for the first of two FDA trial visits. Drew was fully awake for the procedure that involved intravenously injecting either his own stem cells or a placebo.

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Metro Detroit Boy A ‘Living Miracle’ After Stem Cell Treatment For Cerebral Palsy

Stem cell therapy used in Sikeston in dogs

SIKESTON, MO (KFVS) -

Stem cell therapycan bea very controversial issue, but now some veterinarians are using new techniques to harvest those cells.

The cutting edge procedure helps fight degenerative diseases and has only been performed a few times in Missouri.

Experts say regenerative medicine using stem cells is a less invasive and more cost effective alternative for dogs suffering from osteoarthritis and cartilage injuries.

Googus is an 8 year old Boxer mix diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy.

This terminal disease affects the spinal cord causing loss of control in the hind legs.

"Even though they're unable to use their back legs they're still normal in their brain and they just don't understand why they can't walk," said Dr. Stephen Williams, Animal Health Center. "There's just not a good connection and transmission from the nerves to the back legs."

But new technology could slow, if not stop, its progression. Dr. Williams is using stem cell therapy to counteract this and other degenerative diseases in dogs.

"The stem cells from the patient are the ones that are going to benefit that same patient versus trying to take stem cells from a different dog and putting them in this dog," said Dr. Williams. "By harvesting the stem cells from the fat versus people have heard of stem cells from umbilical cords and stuff like that we're taking it from the fat tissue and harvesting those and actually activating with a fluorescent light."

Once the fat is extracted it's a two hour process to prepare the new stem cells. Those are then injected back into the patient along with platelets that work with the immune system to fight the disorder.

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Stem cell therapy used in Sikeston in dogs

Lou Gehrig's disease: From patient stem cells to potential treatment strategy in one study

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

25-Oct-2013

Contact: Sandy Van sandy@prpacific.com 808-526-1708 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 25, 2013) Although the technology has existed for just a few years, scientists increasingly use "disease in a dish" models to study genetic, molecular and cellular defects. But a team of doctors and scientists led by researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute went further in a study of Lou Gehrig's disease, a fatal disorder that attacks muscle-controlling nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

After using an innovative stem cell technique to create neurons in a lab dish from skin scrapings of patients who have the disorder, the researchers inserted molecules made of small stretches of genetic material, blocking the damaging effects of a defective gene and, in the process, providing "proof of concept" for a new therapeutic strategy an important step in moving research findings into clinical trials.

The study, published Oct. 23 in Science Translational Medicine, is believed to be one of the first in which a specific form of Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, was replicated in a dish, analyzed and "treated," suggesting a potential future therapy all in a single study.

"In a sense, this represents the full spectrum of what we are trying to accomplish with patient-based stem cell modeling. It gives researchers the opportunity to conduct extensive studies of a disease's genetic and molecular makeup and develop potential treatments in the laboratory before translating them into patient trials," said Robert H. Baloh, MD, PhD, director of Cedars-Sinai's Neuromuscular Division in the Department of Neurology and director of the multidisciplinary ALS Program. He is the lead researcher and the article's senior author.

Laboratory models of diseases have been made possible by a recently invented process using induced pluripotent stem cells cells derived from a patient's own skin samples and "sent back in time" through genetic manipulation to an embryonic state. From there, they can be made into any cell of the human body.

The cells used in the study were produced by the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Core Facility of Cedars-Sinai's Regenerative Medicine Institute. Dhruv Sareen, PhD, director of the iPSC facility and a faculty research scientist with the Department of Biomedical Sciences, is the article's first author and one of several institute researchers who participated in the study.

"In these studies, we turned skin cells of patients who have ALS into motor neurons that retained the genetic defects of the disease," Baloh said. "We focused on a gene, C9ORF72, that two years ago was found to be the most common cause of familial ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and even causes some cases of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. What we needed to know, however, was how the defect triggered the disease so we could find a way to treat it."

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Lou Gehrig's disease: From patient stem cells to potential treatment strategy in one study

Important step towards stem cell-based treatment for stroke

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

25-Oct-2013

Contact: Zaal Kokaia Zaal.Kokaia@med.lu.se 46-705-365-917 Lund University

Brain infarction or stroke is caused by a blood clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain, which leads to interruption of blood flow and shortage of oxygen. Now a reserach group at Lund University, Sweden, has taken an important step towards a treatment for stroke using stem cells.

The research group shows in a new study, published in the scientific journal Brain, that so-called induced pluripotent stem cells have developed to mature nerve cells at two months after transplantation into the stroke-injured cerebral cortex of rats. These nerve cells have established contact with other important structures in the brain. The transplantation gave rise to improvement of the animals' mobility. The results are from studies in animals but the scientists are hopeful.

---The results are promising and represent a very early but important step towards a stem cell-based treatment for stroke in patients. However, it is important to underscore that further experimental studies are necessary to translate these findings into the clinic in a responsible way, says Olle Lindvall, senior consultant and professor of neurology and one of the scientists responsible for the study.

In Sweden, about 30 000 people are affected with stroke every year and many of these patients will exhibit long-lasting handicap and will never fully recover. Following a stroke, nerve cells in the brain die and if these cells could be replaced by new healthy cells, this approach might be developed into a treatment. At Lund Stem Cell Center, Zaal Kokaia's and Olle Lindvall's research group is working with the aim to develop a stem cell-based method to treat patients with stroke.

The cerebral cortex is often damaged following a stroke, which underlies many of the symptoms such as paresis and speech problems. With the method used by the Lund scientists it should be possible to generate nerve cells for transplantation from the patient's own skin cells.

The research group has first reprogrammed skin cells from an adult human to induced pluripotent stem cells and then induced these cells to become mature nerve cells characteristic for the cerebral cortex.

---By using the method of induced pluripotent stem cells we have been able to generate cells which express those markers which are typical for nerve cells in the cerebral cortex and we have also shown that the new nerve cells are functional, says Zaal Kokaia, professor of experimental medical research.

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Important step towards stem cell-based treatment for stroke

Life Stem Genetics is Pleased to Announce That It Has Completed the First $500,000 Private Placement of the Recently …

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Life Stem Genetics (LIFS) is pleased to announce that it has completed and received the first $500,000 of the recently announced $1mm Private Placement. Our company is very happy to receive the first half of our recent private placement and hopes to close the additional $500,000 in the coming weeks.

The money will be used to attract additional affiliate offices country wide and to invest in various areas of research and development in moving our company's plans forward.

About Life Stem Genetics

Life Stem Genetics (LSG) is a progressive health care company that focuses on healing with a patients own Stem Cells. Stem Cells for years have been known to heal a variety of ailments successfully and now it is being offered as an efficient and painless way to treat many different illnesses ranging from orthopedic injuries, neurological disorders such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers, Cancer, Plastic Surgery, Age Management, Arthritis, Diabetes, Cardiology, COPD, MS, Urology, and many more. Stem Cell Therapy and LSGs proprietary techniques have experienced some of the best results in the industry, helping to repair or re-program damaged or diseased tissues and organs.

LSGs stem cell specialist has performed thousands of stem cell treatments, including the top names in PGA golf, NFL football, NBA basketball, and Major League Baseball. LSG will offer their proprietary treatments through a series of affiliate doctors, and medical clinics, with 60 affiliated clinics so far.

LSGs mission is to create a solid comprehensive approach to the treatment and maintenance of diseases and to break free from the medical insurance world by tapping into an affordable private-pay sector delivering exceptional healthcare free from the medical insurance maze.

http://www.lifestemgenetics.com/

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are not historical facts. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may, could, estimates, "will," "should," "project," "plan," "seek," "intend," or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, and include discussions of strategy, and statements about industry trends and the Company's future performance, operations, and products. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, market acceptance of the Company's stem cell therapy treatment program; the Company's compliance with applicable statutes and regulations: the Company's reliance on third-party contractors to provide suitable treatment facilities; the Company's ability to expand its network of participating clinics and doctors; the Company's ability to develop an effective marketing strategy; the Company's ability to control and reduce advertising and marketing costs; the Company's ability to develop and increase awareness of its brand; the Company's ability to protect its trademarks; and the success of the Company's marketing focus to patients, doctors and clinics. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties see "Risk Factors" and Description of Business in the Company's public filings with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company has no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

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Life Stem Genetics is Pleased to Announce That It Has Completed the First $500,000 Private Placement of the Recently ...

NeoSpine Performs First Spinal Stem Cell Injection Procedure in Washington

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) October 22, 2013

Two physicians from NeoSpine recently performed an innovative stem cell injection procedure on a patients spine to treat back pain caused by degenerative disc disease, the first one in the state of Washington. Dr. Richard Rooney and Dr. Kathy Wang, performed the successful pioneering procedure at Microsurgical Spine Center, the Northwests leading ambulatory surgery center located just outside of Seattle, Washington. At the forefront of medicine, stem cells use the bodys own healthy cells with the goal to regenerate to repair diseased spinal tissue.

With stem cell treatment, bone marrow is extracted from the patients pelvis bone and is centrifuged to separate the stem cells from the other bone marrow components. The advanced separation and concentration process was developed by our partner, Celling Biosciences, explained Dr. Rooney. The extracted stem cells are injected directly into the patients affected discs, and the procedure is image guided for complete accuracy.

We use the patients own cells in order to speed up the healing process, added Dr. Wang. Working with patients to find the root of their back pain, the stem cell injection is part of an overall treatment plan that includes an anti-inflammatory diet, and physical therapy to improve the bodys mechanics and prevent further pain.

"This same therapy can be utilized to treat tendon and joint abnormalities such as Achilles tendonitis or knee arthritis. It has been used to help postpone joint replacement surgery in active older patients and prolong professional athletic careers," Rooney finished.

The entire stem cell injection procedure takes less than an hour. Patients will see results in about a month to treat back pain due to degenerative disc disease. The minimally invasive stem cell procedure is an alternative to more invasive treatment options such as spinal surgery.

About NeoSpine With offices in Seattle, Puyallup and Poulsbo, Washington, NeoSpine is a Spinal Surgery and Pain Medicine Specialty Private Practice. They are partnered with Microsurgical Spine Center, an ambulatory surgery center providing minimally invasive and other spine surgery procedures on an outpatient basis, as well as pain management. NeoSpine physicians offer a variety of surgical and non-surgical treatments for back and neck pain, spine disease, and conditions such as spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, failed spine surgery, and spinal stenosis. The Centers board-certified physicians are experts in their field and take an individualized approach to patient care. Stem cell injection is their latest treatment offering. For more information please visit: http://www.brainspinepro.com

About Celling Biosciences Celling Biosciences is an Austin, Texas based company working closely with world leaders in academia, medicine, scientists and engineers to research and develop innovative technologies in the emerging field of regenerative medicine. Celling's product-offering focuses on autologous cell therapy and the devices and services that compliment these procedures. For more information please visit: http://www.cellingbiosciences.com.

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NeoSpine Performs First Spinal Stem Cell Injection Procedure in Washington

Stem Cell Stock Alert BioRestorative (OTCBB BRTX) Engages Consulting Firm to Advance brtxDISC Program Delivery Device …

Category: Investment, Biotech, Pharma

Stem Cell Stock Alert: BioRestorative (OTCBB: BRTX) Engages Consulting Firm to Advance brtxDISC Program Delivery Device through FDA Clearance Process

JUPITER, Fla. - September 30, 2013 (Investorideas.com Newswire) BioRestorative Therapies Inc. ("BRT" or the "Company") (OTCQB: BRTX), a life sciences company focused on developing stem cell-based therapies for personal medical applications, announced the engagement of the regulatory consultancy firm Phil Triolo and Associates, LC ("PTA") to help advance the Company's brtxDISC therapeutic procedure through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") regulatory process. The brtxDISC program is the Company's non-surgical investigative treatment for bulging and herniated lumbar discs.

Under the engagement, PTA will assist the Company in its efforts to obtain U.S. regulatory approval and to satisfy FDA regulations applicable to the Company's medical device used in the brtxDISC procedure, including the implementation of quality systems procedures. In addition, PTA will assist BRT in its efforts to satisfy FDA regulations relevant to the combination products (biologic plus device) it ultimately plans to commercialize in the U.S. PTA is also available to assist in any international regulatory approval processes the Company may pursue.

"This is an important step in advancing the development of our brtxDISC procedure," said Mark Weinreb, chief executive officer of BioRestorative Therapies. "We have developed a minimally invasive, technologically innovative medical device to precisely deliver a patient's own stem cells directly into the damaged region of the herniated and bulging disc, which is a key component of the success of the procedure."

"There are approximately one million aggressive surgical back and spine procedures in the U.S. each year, including discectomies, disc replacements and spinal fusions. Our goal is to offer an alternative to these procedures by providing a cellular procedure to assist the patient's body in repairing the disc. Pending regulatory approval, we look forward to commencing clinical trials in mid-2014," Mr. Weinreb added.

Phil Triolo and Associates, LC provides services to assure compliance with U.S. regulatory requirements during all stages of the product lifecycle, from feasibility, design and development, to manufacturing, post-production vigilance and audits.

About BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.

BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. ("BRT"), http://www.biorestorative.com, develops medical procedures using cell and tissue protocols, primarily involving adult stem cells, designed for patients to undergo minimally invasive cellular-based treatments. BRT is developing the following scientific initiatives:

The Company also offers plant stem cell-based facial creams and beauty products under the Stem Pearls brand at http://www.stempearls.com.

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Stem Cell Stock Alert BioRestorative (OTCBB BRTX) Engages Consulting Firm to Advance brtxDISC Program Delivery Device ...

Physician First Choice Now Offering IV Stem Cell Therapy for Numerous Medical Conditions with US Board Certified Stem …

Orange County, CA (PRWEB) October 21, 2013

The premier stem cell therapy clinic on the West Coast, Physician First Choice, is now offering IV stem cell treatment for numerous medical conditions. This includes stem cell treatment for Alzheimer's disease, Diabetes, Parkinson's, Liver Disease, Cardiac Disease, COPD and much more. The treatments are provided by US Board Certified Stem Cell Doctors and for more information call (888) 988-0515.

Stem cell therapy has become available for numerous medical conditions and can dramatically improve the patient's baseline. Increasing amounts of research are showing the benefits of IV stem cell therapy for conditions such as diabetes and COPD. Prior to stem cell therapy, these conditions could be managed with traditional medications, but the disease itself could not be altered. With stem cell therapy, that possibility exists.

The Board Certified stem cell doctors at Physician First Choice have over 20 combined years of experience working with patients for both stem cell injection treatment and IV therapy. The clinic treats patients at multiple Southern California locations along with an international location in Mexico. Patient treatment is performed by the same US Board Certified doctors before, during and after therapy to ensure continuity of care.

The program in Mexico involves four days worth of treatment at a first rate clinic, and patients stay at a beautiful hotel with transportation included. IV stem cell therapy is performed along with growth factor treatments to enhance the effect of the bone marrow stem cells.

For conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, watching a loved one deteriorate can be disheartening even when the best care is received. Physician First Choice has been having excellent results with IV stem cell treatment for diabetes and these conditions, and the program has been growing exponentially as a result.

The 4 Day Stem Cell Therapy IV Program is offered as a package. Transportation to and from San Diego is included along with the Hotel Stay, All Medical Treatment, Breakfast Each Day, and Transportation between the Gorgeous Hotel and the Stem Cell Treatment Facility. Patients must be approved for program inclusion with a full medical record review and evaluation by the Southern California doctors.

To inquire about program inclusion for IV stem cell therapy, call Physician First Choice at (888) 988-0515.

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Physician First Choice Now Offering IV Stem Cell Therapy for Numerous Medical Conditions with US Board Certified Stem ...

International Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Community Convenes in Banff, Alberta

OTTAWA, ONTARIO and TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct 21, 2013) - Stem cell and regenerative medicine experts from around the world will physically and virtually come together in Banff, Alberta, when Canada's premier stem cell research event - the Till & McCulloch Meetings (T&MM) - takes place October 23-25, 2013.

"Canada and Europe chose the same dates to host their most significant regenerative medicine events and we're utilizing technology to bring the two conferences together," explains Drew Lyall, Executive Director of the Stem Cell Network. "While our European colleagues won't get to enjoy the beauty of Alberta, they will benefit from hearing some thrilling science, produced in Canada."

A novel technology discovered in Dr. Peter Zandstra's lab, which has the potential to improve the viability and success of cord blood stem cell transplantation, will be featured during a live broadcast to the World Conference on Regenerative Medicine in Leipzig, Germany, on October 24 at 8:45 a.m. Dr. Zandstra (University of Toronto and CSO with the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine) has received the 2013 Till & McCulloch Award for having published the year's most influential peer-reviewed article by a stem cell researcher in Canada.

Other highlights include the following:

October 23 at 12:20 p.m.

The conference will premiere and showcase a series of short, animated videos about basic concepts in stem cell research narrated by world-renowned stem cell scientists. The videos are produced by Ben Paylor, a PhD candidate in experimental medicine at the University of British Columbia, and Mike Long, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, who engaged award-winning animator David Murowsky and Emmy-nominated composer James Wallace to create the signature animations and music featured in the videos. The three videos are targeted at youth of high school age or older. More details about the videos and the award can be found here: http://bit.ly/15GBOsw.

October 23 at 2:10 p.m.

An afternoon plenary session will focus on current research in cell therapy. The session will include presentations by Dr. Duncan Stewart (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute) on lessons learned in bringing cell therapies to the clinic. He will focus on his recently launched stem cell clinical trial for the treatment of acute heart attack, as well as offer overviews of Canada's strategy for stem cell research going forward and the emerging regenerative medicine technologies market.

"The regenerative medicine market is poised to experience explosive growth in the near future, based on the increasing number of clinical trials, deals, IPOs [initial public offerings] and partnerships happening globally," says Michael May, CEO of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM). "Canada's leadership in the field of regenerative medicine is already well known, and it is with events and collaborations like the Till & McCulloch Meetings that we will continue to build a strong infrastructure for future growth in Canada. The fact that this year's conference has engaged 39 industry sponsors - more than twice the number that participated last time - is an indication of just how far we've progressed in a short time."

The Till & McCulloch Meetings, formerly the Stem Cell Network's Annual Scientific Meeting, was renamed in 2012 to acknowledge its expanded focus to include the broader field of regenerative medicine and the business focus of commercializing stem cell- and biomaterials-based products and therapies. In addition to excellent science originating from Canada, Japan, China, Israel, Europe and the United States, the conference will feature industry networking meetings and international efforts to share resources to accelerate progress in commercializing new discoveries.

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International Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Community Convenes in Banff, Alberta