Stem Cell TreatmentStem cell treatment has acquired the aura of being able to cure almost all diseases known to man. However as a consumer there are several aspects of stem cell therapy that you need to be aware of in order to make informed decisions when the need arises. There are three types of treatment using stem cells. They involve: * Bone Marrow Stem Cells * Peripheral Blood Stem Cells * Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells Stem cells will continue to play an important role in emerging medical therapies simply because they have the amazing ability to repair damaged tissue and also form new type of cells in the damaged area. Furthermore the ability of stem cells to self-renew themselves is a unique characteristic and allows easy infusion into the body without having to combat the risk of rejection. Most of the treatments available today are still in the experimental stage except for bone marrow transplantation, which is the number one option for leukemia. One of the most talked about therapies is stem cell treatment for cancer Researchers are confident that with passage of time and renewed efforts they will be able to devise customized as well as cost-effective therapies for incurable diseases like Type 1 diabetes, Huntington's disease, cardiac failure, Parkinson's disease and even spinal cord injuries. Currently infusion of stem cells into the bone marrow of an individual who has undergone chemotherapy for leukemia is the only therapy that is widely used outside of the laboratory. In leukemia, the cancer cells as well as health hemopoietic cells are killed off by powerful chemotherapeutic agents. In order to replenish the body's reserves of white blood cells and red blood cells. In this procedure, doctors harvest the bone marrow prior to starting chemotherapy. After the treatment regimen is completed, an infusion of stem cells is introduced into the patient's marrow. These stem cells are healthy and will give rise to healthy red blood cells and white blood cells and maintain the volume required in the patient's body. In summary, stem cell treatments have shown immense promise in treating brain injury, diabetes, spinal cord injury and even in repairing the damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack. It is expected that in future these treatments will be tailor-made for individuals so hitherto incurable diseases do not cause morbidity and mortality.
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