New from PubMed:

Researchers at the University of San Martino in Genoa, Italy reviewed the available literature on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a therapy for severe autoimmune diseases. Over 100 autoimmune disease patients have been treated by stem cell transplantation worldwide. Patients suffering from severe cases of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, or aplastic anemia are candidates for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The majority of patients have been treated with autologous transplantation, and although this process possesses a disease-arresting effect, there is not significant data to prove that it can achieve the desired immune reconstitution. Allogeneic transplantation has not been used or studied enough to draw any conclusions on its efficacy. The researchers concluded that while there is preliminary data suggesting that stem cell transplantation is an acceptable treatment of severe autoimmune diseases, it has not been proven to provide a cure. Even in cases where the transplant was initially successful, subsequent relapses have occurred. Further research is needed to draw more concrete conclusions.

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