Another wonderful Lupus story, patient saved by a stem cell transplant

Since the announcment that stem cell transplants can be performed successfully for lupus at Northwestern University Hospital, it looks like they'll announce each case as they proceed. I think that's a great way to keep everyone up to date.

In this latest story, a patient by the name of Edjuana Ross suffered the serious symptoms of lupus which include immune system failure, severe joint pain, facial scarring, heart damage and three strokes. Her medication of cortisone (steroids) caused her to put on more than 100 pounds which would probably have caused other complications. Her doctor, an immunotherapist by the name of Dr. Richard Burt recommended an adult stem cell transplant to fix her immune system.

Ms. Ross underwent mobilization by GCSF to harvest her stem cells, then chemotherapy to destroy the existing immune system and the transplant by her own stem cells to "reboot" her immune system.

Half the patients who have undergone the procedure are now lupus free and patients like Ms. Ross say that it has changed their life and removed their suffering. She has also slimmed down, which I am sure does a great deal for her own self confidence.

Whilst there are risks to transplantation, like the possibility of infection, or sterility (unable to concieve), with all the suffering that these patients go through, I just wonder why doctors don't start informing their patients about it earlier. If the procedure is well managed (right training and facilities are important) then I think that patients would be happy to know that this is an option to relieve their suffering earlier rather than later.

In this vein, perhaps doctors can find a way to keep re-booting that immune system should it malfunction again. I wonder if Ms. Ross has any stem cells leftover...? She'd be able to re-boot her system back to that date!


If you have lupus or know someone who does and would like to get in touch with the doctor, his contact details are as per below.*

Richard Burt, M.D.
Physician Referral
240 East Ontario St.
Ste 450
Chicago 60611
(312) 926-8400
rburt@northwestern.edu


*I received a letter recently from one of our clients who asked if we had a resource available with information on where stem cell treatments are performed and whom by. From now on, I'll do my best to start putting that down as a reference in this blog.