Category Archives: Stem Cell Transplant

preservation laboratory, where stem cells were kept for use in transplants in children whose bone marrow has been damaged during chemotherapy. Concerns were first raised when Sophie Ryan-Palmer, 12, who had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, failed to make progress after her transplant in June 2013, which involved using a donors stem cells rather than her own. She had been diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of two and had undergone three previous transplants. She began fundraising for cancer charities when she was six. By October last year the hospital had identified that a higher than usual proportion of eight children who had undergone stem cell transplantation between March and August had suffered what doctors call delayed engraftment. But by the time it stopped freezing stem cells on site at its base in Bloomsbury, central London, and launched an investigation, three of the eight had died. Ryan Loughran, aged 13 months, from Bournemouth, died on July 10. Sophie, from Sunbury in Middlesex, followed on July 17. Katie Joyce, from Hertfordshire, died on October 6. A fourth patient, Muhanna al-Hayany, aged five, died in August this year. He had come from Kuwait to have the treatment. Following the deaths it was discovered that … Continue reading →

A chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) patient's video diary: Immune system Part 13 of Harley's video diary, recorded 93 days after his stem cell transplant. In this video, Harley talks about his immune system and how stem cell transplant patients' immune systems are... By: MD Anderson Cancer Center … Continue reading →

Patients, aged one to 12, among eight children whose transplants failed Concerns arose in 2013 after operation on fundraiser Sophie Palmer, 12 Hospital says Katie Joyce, 4, could have been saved if quicker action taken Lawyers have also accused hospital of taking too long to stop transplants Ryan Loughran, 13 months, and Muhanna al-Hayany, 4, also died last year Doctors 'regret' not stopping sooner but decision seemed right at time Seventeen months on, investigations are still ongoing into exact cause By Steph Cockroft for MailOnline Published: 06:45 EST, 22 November 2014 | Updated: 06:52 EST, 22 November 2014 Four cancer-stricken children died at Great Ormond Street Hospital after a series of failures in stem cell transplants at the world-renowned hospital, an inquest has heard. The young patients, aged between one and 12, were among eight children whose transplants failed when the stem cell freezing system - used in life-saving operations - inexplicably stopped working. Four children went on to recover. But well-known charity fundraiser Sophie Ryan Palmer, 12, one-year-old Ryan Loughran, four-year-old Katie Joyce and Muhanna al-Hayany, also four, died between July and October last year. Katie Joyce (left) and Sophie Ryan (right) were among two of the four young … Continue reading →

A chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) patient's video diary: This is for you Part 15 of Harley's video diary, recorded 93 days after his stem cell transplant. In this video, Harley reminds everyone watching that he made this video dia... By: MD Anderson Cancer Center … Continue reading →

A chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) patient's video diary: GVHD Part 12 of Harley's video diary, recorded 93 days after his stem cell transplant. In this video, Harley talks about his experience with Graft Verses Host Dis... By: MD Anderson Cancer Center … Continue reading →

A new treatment for children with "bubble baby" conditions means a pair of California twins can finally have their chubby cheeks kissed. A team at the University of California Los Angeles has combined two techniques gene therapy and stem cell therapy to treat 18 children with a genetically inherited immune condition called ADA-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency or SCID. They think it may be a true cure, but will have to wait a few more years to be sure. Its made all the difference for two-year-old Evangelina Padilla-Vaccaro, who was diagnosed just weeks after she and her twin sister Annabella were born. Hearing that news, you just figure your kid is dead, said Alysia Padilla-Vaccaro. Youre supposed to be showing off your kids, not thinking youre going to be burying one, she added, wiping away tears. A bone marrow transplant can cure the condition, but Annabella wasnt a match for Evangelina. That meant isolation, because with ADA-SCID, even a common cold can kill. So there was no kissing of our babies, Padilla-Vaccaro said. You just want to bite those chubby cheeks and kiss that face and we didn't get that until they were about 18 months old, she added. The UCLA … Continue reading →

Durham, NC (PRWEB) November 20, 2014 With more soldiers returning from combat suffering devastating injuries, doctors are turning to a reconstructive surgery that uses tissue transplantation along with immuno-suppression therapy. This approach has had encouraging results; however, rejection of transplanted tissue from an unmatched donor remains a critical complication. A new study found in the latest issue of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine reports that researchers may have found a way around that. We demonstrated in mice that a single infusion of adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC) which are stem cells taken from fat in a minimally invasive procedure from an unmatched donor combined with an extremely low dose of bone marrow cells resulted in stable long-term tolerance of the skin graft without undo consequences such as graft versus host disease, said Thomas Davis, Ph.D., a contractor from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation who is working at the Naval Medical Research Centers Regenerative Medicine Department. Dr. Davis is lead author of the study. He added, As we move forward, we are cautiously optimistic, appreciating that the transition from these laboratory models to proof-of-principle preclinical studies is challenging and not straightforward. If successful, the technology has diverse therapeutic applications in clinical transplantation in … Continue reading →

CTV Ottawa Published Wednesday, November 19, 2014 5:50PM EST Last Updated Wednesday, November 19, 2014 6:41PM EST Stephanie Headley thought she was getting her life back. The 48-year-old mother of four has systemic scleroderma a rare, incurable auto-immune disease that is slowly scarring her internal organs. It is fatal, but there is a cure - a very expensive stem cell therapy offered in Chicago. Headley couldnt afford it on her own, but in July of 2014 an anonymous donor heard of her plight and gave her $128,000 to cover the costs. Headley called him her angel. I just started crying, she said at the time. But the life-saving miracle was not to be. On a recent trip to Chicago for preliminary testing Headley learned her heart is already too scarred to withstand the demanding treatment. We didnt qualify, and that was that, she says. I was stunned. I was shocked, saddened. Just complete disbelief. Coming back from Chicago was a real tough, tough drive, says her father Peter Headley. It took us two weeks to get over it. Now Headley has opened up about her devastating news. And shes not giving up. She plans to use the donation to pay … Continue reading →

A chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) patient's video diary: Going home Part 14 of Harley's video diary, recorded 93 days after his stem cell transplant. In this video, Harley talks about the process of finally getting to go home. By: MD Anderson Cancer Center … Continue reading →

A chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) patient's video diary: Final thoughts Part 16 of Harley's video diary, recorded 93 days after his stem cell transplant. In this final video, Harley shares a few final thoughts about what he's learned and experienced over his 100-plus... By: MD Anderson Cancer Center … Continue reading →