Eighty-five, let this number resonate. 85% of people with Multiple Sclerosis are diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, commonly known as RRMS (Sullivan). This form is clearly defined by the relapsing of the disease during periods of stability in a patient. Scientifically, it is defined by inflammatory attacks on myelin (the membrane around nerve fibers), and the nerve fibers which cause small areas of damage producing MS symptoms (“Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) | National Multiple Sclerosis Society''). In RRMS, when MS relapses, symptoms are often worsening or new. Common symptoms of this form of MS include double vision, fatigue, vision loss, urine urgency, and balance problems (“Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS): Multiple Sclerosis”). It is usually diagnosed in people in their 20-30s. RRMS is unpredictable, as some people go for years without attacks and no new symptoms, while some people have frequent attacks with new and worsening symptoms. Nonetheless, treatments are available for RRMS, the common forms are standard disease-modifying agents, but stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for people with severe RRMS.
Stem cells are cells that are unspecialized, meaning that they don’t have a specific function like blood cells or skin cells. These cells can be used to replace cells that have been affected by diseases, in this case for Multiple Sclerosis. Stem cell therapy is still an experimental treatment, not approved for regular use in many areas throughout the world. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant, aHSCT, is a potential treatment of severely-active RRMS. In this transplant, stem cells are extracted from the patient’s bone marrow. Then, chemotherapy is used to ablate the immune system, and the stem cells are infused into the patient’s body in hopes to restart the immune system and bring it to proper functionality. aHSCT is considered the safest form of HSCT for MS.
With limited studies, the consensus and action on Stem Cell therapy are rather inconclusive, but some things are coming to light. Stem cell therapy has shown lowered disease activity or slowed disability progression in patients who have undergone aHCST in recent studies, but the lack of controls prevents the solidification of conclusions (Shapiro). Moreover, treatment-related mortality has been decreasing, but not enough evidence is shown about safety and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, much more research and developments are undergoing as this treatment is not one to underestimate.
To conclude, MS has many forms, RRMS is the most common, its nature requires effective treatment and stem cell therapy promises a new and possibly even more effective way for patients to receive treatment.
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