March 2009
Main source material
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/16/Worldandnation/Stem_cell_breast_reco.shtmlhttp://www.upi.com/Science_News/2007/12/24/Stem_cells_enhance_breast_reconstruction/UPI-96361198525801/
Breast cancer is now one of the most common illnesses in the West, as well as a leading cause of death. The disfigurement of their breasts is a significant quality of life issue for many women after breast surgery, yet until recently the only easy reconstructive options were for mastectomy patients. We look at what Thailand stem cell therapy is doing for lumpectomy patients.
In breast cancer treatment, it is often seen as preferable for only the cancerous part of a breast to be removed. Surgeons prefer not to take tissue that they don't have to, and women initially prefer to keep as much of their own body as they can. However, this seemingly positive approach can cause much mental distress and heartache down the road, as women are often left with less normal-looking breasts than would have been possible if they had a full mastectomy and a simple breast reconstruction. However, adult stem cell cures, as with many conditions, have come to an unexpected rescue. Since the initial discovery of the possibility of using adult stem cells in breast reconstruction was first identified in late 2007, there have been huge breakthroughs. Now, breast reconstruction with Thailand stem cell therapy is helping many women regain a sense of normalcy, in a more natural way.
While the defect in breasts that have had lumpectomies may not be dramatic initially, it often gets worse over time. The dents can become deeper, especially if radiation therapy is recommended in conjunction with a lumpectomy. This is where human adult stem cells can be a critical tool in plastic surgery augmentation.
The treatment first came to public light at a symposium in San Antonio in 2007, and was based on a small, two-dozen women study of breast reconstruction patients in Japan at Kyushu University. Cosmetic surgeons have long been interested in reconstructing breasts using fat from a patient's own body, however the grafts that have previously been attempted have had a low success rate, with the tissue often being rejected. Prior to the advent of adult stem cell cures for breast reconstruction, options included nipple sparing mastectomies, deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps, and acellular dermal graft slings. These almost purely physical techniques have been considered the most advanced of the time, as recently as April 2008.
The Thailand stem cell therapy for breast reconstruction involves a simple bedside device that can separate the patient's own stem cells from fat harvested from another area of their body. The multipotent adult stem cells can turn into several different types of cells, and are transplanted directly into the breast, where chemical signals induce them to travel to the site of damage, and take on the properties of breast tissue cells. It is the same, almost magical chemical signaling that makes stem cell therapy for stroke and stem cell therapy for Parkinson's possible.
Since the initial discovery that the treatment was possible, Thailand stem cell therapy providers have been quick to offer it to patients. "A part of my breast was removed ... I wanted my breasts to be normal", said a Thai breast cancer survivor in an interview with local television reporters. "Doctors used my fat stem cells - it came from my stomach and thighs. Fat stem cell fixed my breast - [the procedure] took 3-4 hours". "It is similar to skin grafts", says a doctor involved in Thai stem cell therapy, explaining why the procedure has such success. "It is autologous - it is your own cells, taken from your own body".
Sources:
|
