Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is a medical term used to describe a group of chronic, inflammatory lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma and bronchiectasis.
Stem cell transplantation is a promising treatment option for COPD and other inflammatory lung diseases.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the world’s fourth leading cause of death.1 Long-term exposure to substances that irritate and damage the lungs is the main cause of COPD.
Long-term cigarette smoking is the most significant risk factor for developing COPD, but other risks include second hand smoke exposure, chemical fumes, dust, age and genetics.
Emphysema and bronchitis are the two most common types of COPD. Air travels down your windpipe into your lungs through tubes (bronchi). These tubes divide into smaller tubes, including air sacs (alveoli) at the ends of these smaller tubes (bronchioles).
Bronchitis causes inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes, causing mucus to build up, while emphysema slowly destroys the air sacs, interfering with the outward flow of air.
Your lungs rely on the natural elasticity of the bronchial tubes and air sacs to force air out of your body. COPD causes them to lose their elasticity, leaving some air trapped in your lungs as you exhale.
Current treatment options provide symptomatic relief but are not curative. Conventional therapies include a combination of pharmaceutical drugs, lifestyle changes, oxygen, and as a last resort, surgery.
Chronic pulmonary and systemic inflammation are hallmarks of COPD. Mesenchymal stem cells improve lung function by modulating the immune system and reducing inflammation.
Pre-clinical studies of stem cell therapy reveal that mesenchymal stem cells can regenerate alveolar-like structures, repair emphysematous lungs, and reduce inflammatory responses.
Mesenchymal stem cells are believed to improve lung function by signaling a patient’s cells to secrete molecules such as peptides, extracellular matrix proteins, and growth factors that can help repair and regenerate tissue.
A meta-analysis of 36 different clinical trials found mesenchymal stem cells treatment to be safe with no significant adverse events or malignant transformations.6
In phase 1 trials, the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) was reduced and another phase 1 trial showed treatment with MSCs increased the expression of CD31, the endothelial cell marker in found in the alveolar septa of emphysematous lung tissue5. These findings suggest that MSCs can reduce inflammation and improve angiogenesis to aid in the repair of damaged lung tissue COPD patients.
There are currently 23 clinical trials evaluating the safety and/or efficacy of stem cell treatment for COPD and inflammatory lung disease, according to ClinicalTrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov).
Stem cell treatment with mesenchymal stem cells in conjunction with lifestyle modification can improve the symptoms of COPD. Stem cell treatment increases your respiratory capacity and your breathing improves over time.
Our clinic focuses on obtaining healthy stem cells exclusively from umbilical cord blood donors. We collect the placenta once the baby is born, with the parent’s informed consent. Additionally, we follow strict ethical guidelines and collect stem cells from reliable and reputable sources.
Our nursing staff administers the stem cells through an intravenous and intra-pulmonary route. For the most effective outcomes, intravenous administration is preferred.
Our clinic is located in Costa Rica, which is one of the most popular medical tourism destinations for stem cell therapy. At the Stem Cells Transplant Institute, we have a skilled team of doctors and medical professionals who collect and administer stem cells to treat autism and other conditions. Every patient receives the most cost-effective and top-notch care from our dedicated team.
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