“A natural enzyme derived from human blood plasma showed potential in significantly reducing the effects of graft-vs.-host disease (GvHD), a common and deadly side effect of lifesaving bone marrow transplants for MM.”
When I underwent an autologous stem cell transplant for my multiple myeloma (MM) in 12/95 I did so because allo SCT were too dangerous. Auto SCT’s were safer than allo SCT’s. Graft vs. Host disease (GvHD) is still a serious side effect of allo SCT. As you can see from the article linked and excerpted below, allo transplants have come a long way.
Allogeneic (the stem cells come from a donor) Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation sometimes can actually cure the patient from whatever blood cancer he/she is suffering from. That’s the good news. The bad news is that allo BMT’s result in GvHD in 30%-70% of patients. GvHD can result in relatively minor collateral damage up to death.
Due to the problematic nature of GVHD, anything that has the potential to treat this difficult side effect needs to be explored.
I am both a Multiple Myeloma survivor and MM cancer coach. My experience as a long-term survivor of this incurable blood cancer has taught me that there is a world of evidence-based, non-conventional therapies that can ease or eliminate the collateral damage caused by conventional toxic therapies.
I work with MM patients to research and identify those therapies that can enhance their treatments while reducing or eliminating their short, long-term and late stage side effects of therapy.
Have you been diagnosed with multiple myeloma? Are you considering a bone marrow transplant? Have you had a BMT and are experiencing GvHD? Scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply ASAP.
thank you,
David Emerson
- Multiple Myeloma Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
“Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the transplantation of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood.[1][2] It may be autologous (the patient’s own stem cells are used), allogeneic (the stem cells come from a donor) or syngeneic (from an identical twin)…”
“A natural enzyme derived from human blood plasma showed potential in significantly reducing the effects of graft-vs.-host disease, a common and deadly side effect of lifesaving bone marrow transplants…
In this study, which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers used alpha-1-antitrypsin in mice that received allogeneic bone marrow transplants. The drug significantly reduced mortality from graft-vs.-host disease, compared to control mice who did not receive the drug.
In addition, alpha-1-antitrypsin reduced the number of inflammatory cells called T Effector cells that are known to be present in graft-vs.-host disease. It also increased the number of T-regulatory cells, which immunologists believe play a positive role in immune responses.”
