Difficulty breathing, reduced mobility and painful coughing episodes that come with COPD can significantly affect quality of life. Conventional treatments can manage symptoms, but stem cell therapy is an increasingly popular treatment option because it treats the underlying lung tissue damage in people with COPD.
If you’re interested in stem cell therapy, keep reading to learn how stem cells can improve COPD, the types of stem cells used for treatment and the safety and efficacy of this new treatment.
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Why are MSCs preferred for therapy?
Many people have a negative perception of stem cell therapy because stem cells require the destruction of a human fetus. However, this ethical concern is only associated with embryonic stem cells and other types of stem cells can be obtained through ethical means.
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has emerged as an ethical and effective stem cell treatment for COPD. MSCs can be obtained from a variety of sources, including bone marrow, fat tissue or gum tissue, as well as the umbilical cord or placenta of a newborn.
MSCs can be easily obtained from an adult donor or from the recipient’s own tissues. MSCs are also safe for stem cell therapy as they come with no risk of tumorigenesis.
Mechanisms of MSCs in Lung Tissue Regeneration
When a patient receives a stem cell injection, MSCs migrate to the site of damaged lung tissue and differentiate into lung tissue cells, replacing damaged cells and promoting the growth of new ones.
MSCs also have an immunomodulatory effect that helps recover the pulmonary environment, prevent pulmonary fibrosis and restore healthy lung function. MSCs also have anti-inflammatory properties, making this an effective treatment for lung inflammation in patients with COPD.
Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy for COPD
Currently, there are no other treatments that can regenerate damaged lung tissue and improve lung function, which makes stem cell therapy a promising cure for COPD. After stem cell therapy, patients typically see improvements such as:
- Increased respiratory capacity
- Increased force volume capacity
- Normal breathing
- Healing of lung scar tissue
- Less frequent shortness of breath
- Restored energy levels
- Improved sleep
- Better appetite
The benefits of stem cell therapy depend on the patient’s age, the severity of the condition and lifestyle choices.
Safety and Efficacy of MSC Therapy
Research shows that MSC therapy is safe for people with moderate to severe COPD, and can drastically improve their quality of life. MSC therapy also comes with no risk of tumor formation.
Small clinical trials support the effectiveness of stem cell therapies in treating COPD; however, larger trials are needed to prove efficacy further and promote widespread adoption of MSC therapy for COPD.
The most common side effect of MSC therapy is a small fever post-injection. However, this usually passes on its own. While the risks associated with this therapy are small, pretreatment evaluation is necessary to rule out contraindications such as:
- Ongoing or previous cancer diagnosis
- Active infections
- Stroke within the last three months
- Other chronic health conditions
Additional Components of Regenerative Therapy
Many clinics also use MSC-derived exosomes when treating COPD. Exosomes are microvesicles that communicate with other cells in the body to change their behaviour. Exosomes are used because they are effective at carrying the therapeutic effects of MSCs and come with a lower risk of immune rejection.
Stem cell therapies for COPD can be administered through intravenous injections or inhalation. Stem cell clinics can help determine the proper method of administration, the best types of stem cells, and the quantity of them to use.
For the best results, stem cell therapy should also be combined with other forms of COPD therapy, such as pulmonary rehabilitation, breathing exercises, dietary changes and exercise.
Stem cell clinics such as Swiss Medica also offer ozone therapy, IMR therapy and xenon gas rehabilitation therapy. These therapies support stem cell therapy by stimulating the regeneration process and improving COPD symptoms.
In conclusion
MSCs are effective at treating COPD due to their ability to reach the site of damaged lung tissue and differentiate into lung tissue cells. MSCs also have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties that aid in lung tissue regeneration.
Stem cell therapy can result in drastic improvements in lung function, which other treatments fail to achieve. However, stem cell therapy should still be used with other therapies to maximize results. Stem cells are a promising cure for COPD, but more research into this therapy is needed for widespread adoption.