Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is harvesting a person's own (autologous) red blood stem cells and then transplanting them back into their body.
This is performed by a haematologist, so that chemotherapy can be targeted on the person's immune system, which is where the MS is active. Once the person's immune system is sufficiently destroyed, their harvested stems cells are transplanted back into their blood stream. The transplanted stem cells then begin growing a new immune system with no memory of MS.
Non-myeloablative chemotherapy (Non-Myelo) is a reduced intensity treatment, also called a mini transplant. Patients receive lower doses of chemotherapy before a transplant. This allows older patients, and those with other health problems to have a transplant.
This "rebooting" of the immune system for MS, through HSCT, began in the early 1990's. Dr Burt, Chicago, is currently in Phase 3 blind trials and is expected to gain FDA approval in 2022.
HSCT is not easily available in Australia. A small trial at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, is currently the only trial in Australia. It is due to finish this year.
A handful of hospitals around the world are performing HSCT for MS and the statistics for success are consistently high at around 80+% and statistics for fatalities are consistently low at under 1%. About 2000 people with MS have had HSCT over the last 15 years.
STATISTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT HSCT RELATED TO MS
by George Goss (USA) as of FEB/5/2014
As for how many people have undergone HSCT worldwide, it is between one and two million patients since 1967 when it was first established as a successful clinical treatment, most for cancer. HSCT is currently performed 50,000 times per year worldwide, also mainly for cancer. So clearly HSCT is not an “experimental” procedure as it is an extremely well understood medical procedure. As for HSCT for auto immune diseases performed in total today, it is between 2000 and 2500 cumulative with approximately half being for multiple sclerosis. But the number of HSCT-treated autoimmune disease patients increases every year. Eventually (in approximately ten years) HSCT will become an FDA approved treatment for MS. Overall, ‘approximately’ 85% of the entire MS population, on average, will experience benefit from HSCT. For early relapsing patients it is virtually all.. . . . . “After an average follow-up of three years after receiving their transplants (which took place between January 2003 and February 2005), 17 patients (81 per cent) improved by at least one point on a [EDSS] disability scale. And for all [100%] patients, the disease had stopped progressing.”. . . . .
2013: There are now worldwide trials for MS with this treatment.
About 650 people have had HSCT for MS in the last 12 years… 85% have halted their progression, 14% had no benefit and 1% mortality.
Source: George Goss
Kristy Cruise is helping to educate Australians about HSCT through the fantastic results of her treatment, as documented by 60 Minutes. Through her "Moving Mountains to defeat MS" on Facebook. Kristy has helped guide and support everyone interested in HSCT. Thank you Kristy.