Study: Stem Cell Injections Caused Tumors

Israeli Researchers Say Fetal Stem Cells Led To Benign Tumors For Boy With Rare Genetic Disease

(AP)  A family desperate to save a child from a lethal brain disease sought highly experimental injections of fetal stem cells, which triggered tumors in the boy's brain and spinal cord, Israeli scientists reported Tuesday.

Scientists are trying furiously to harness different types of stem cells, the building blocks for other cells in the body, to regrow damaged tissue and thus treat devastating diseases. For all the promise, however, researchers long have warned that they must learn to control newly injected stem cells so they do not grow where they should not. Small studies in people are only just beginning.

Tuesday's report in the journal PLoS Medicine, the first documented case of a human brain tumor - albeit a benign, slow-growing one - after fetal stem cell therapy, and it hammers home the need for careful research. The journal is published by the Public Library of Science.

"Patients, please beware," said Dr. John Gearhart, a stem cell scientist at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the Israeli boy's care but who sees similarly desperate U.S. patients head abroad to clinics that offer unproven stem cell injections.

"Cells are not drugs. They can misbehave in so many different ways, it just is going to take a good deal of time" to prove how best to pursue the potential therapy, Gearhart said.

The unidentified Israeli boy has a rare, fatal genetic disease with a tongue-twisting name - ataxia telangiectasia, or A-T. Degeneration of a certain brain region gradually robs children with the condition of movement. Plus, a faulty immune system leads to frequent infections and cancers. Most die in their teens or early 20s.

Israeli doctors pieced together the child's history: When he was 9, the family traveled to Russia, to a Moscow clinic that provided injections of neural stem cells from fetuses, immature cells destined to grow into a main type of brain cell. The cells were injected into his brain and spinal cord twice more, at ages 10 and 12.

Back home in Israel at age 13, the boy's A-T was severe enough to require that he use a wheelchair when he also began complaining of headaches. Tests at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv uncovered a growth pushing on his brain stem and a second on his spinal cord. Surgeons removed the spinal cord mass when the boy was 14, in 2006.

Was the boy prone to tumors anyway, or were the fetal stem cells to blame? A Tel Aviv University team extensively tested the tumor tissue and concluded it was the fetal cells. Among other evidence, some of the cells were female and had two normal copies of the gene that causes A-T. The boy's underlying poor immune function could have allowed the growths to take hold.

Using stem cells from multiple fetuses that also were mixed with growth-spurring compounds "may have created a high-risk situation where abnormal growth of more than one cell occurred," wrote lead researcher Dr. Ninette Amariglio of Sheba Medical. She urged better research to "maximize the potential benefits of regenerative medicine while minimizing the risks."

This brain disease was not conducive to stem cell therapy in the first place, said stem cell specialist Dr. Marius Wernig of Stanford University in the United States, who said it is unclear exactly what was implanted.

"Stem cell transplantations have a humongous potential," Wernig said. But "If people rush out there without really knowing what they're doing, ... that really backfires and can bring this whole field to a halt."

[dumdnc]

This is not news. This has been known since the 2000 election when the issue of stem cells was used as a political ploy. Everyone remembers Christopher Reed and john edwards bellowing how stem cells could have saved him. There are other cells, blood products, etc that have been proven to work.
As for atheists and what that believe in or don't believe in, I could care less. Now, evian_ycnan, go get a lawyer and file a lawsuit claiming how offended you are. I'm not calling you a nut because you don't hold beliefs. Try not resorting to name calling and maybe your arguments will be taken more seriously.

[inketolstoy]

Another failure in the fetal stem cell research. At least the federal government is going to sink millions into that research now. We all know how money from our government fixes everything.

[mdalerwill]

But we humans want to save individuals with malfunctioning everything. What does that get us ? The survivors will insist on their right to reproduce, right ? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by superdem at 01:27 PM : Feb 18, 2009

Might I guess that you have never cared about anyone with any kind of serious disorder? You might be surprised to find out how many people with disorders that should have killed them not only contribute to humanity but also make the decision not to reproduce.

[superdem]

You know, the rest of the animal kingdom is concerned with survival of the fittest. The strongest bull gets the girls, that sort of thing. But we humans want to save individuals with malfunctioning everything. What does that get us ? The survivors will insist on their right to reproduce, right ? And the Pro-Life movement will back them to the hilt. It makes no sense at all, and goes against the very forces of nature that got us all here.

[lochlan-2009]

Stem cells are undifferentiated, meaning, they can become ANYTHING!

Wow, so you have know idea how cancer OR stem cells work. Just put that right out there for the world to laugh at, why don''t you.

Here, first question, when you first develop cancer(the instant it happens), how many cells have mutated?

Answer: One. All other cancer cells (in that strain) are daughters of that cell.

[docpeter1953]

I was wondering when something like this would occur or become apparent. I would seem likely to happen very often. Stem cells are undifferentiated, meaning, they can become ANYTHING! That includes cancerous cells as well as benign tumors. If injected systemically they are allowed to self program and become whatever they want.

Science really needs to get a handle on this before proceeding to humans. there is great potential for this IF science can preprogram the cells for say spinal cord or pancreatic or specific diseases, but to just inject to renew old/dying/malfunctioning cells, as what appears to have been done in the above article, science is *** with mother nature. And as the old commercial said, ''You don''t mess with mother nature.'' or ''Texas''.

[lochlan-2009]

"Israeli Researchers Say..." You can stop right there, I already know whatever is said next, is propaganda fortoward some goal, and should be viewed accordingly.

Thanks.

Of course, if you know anything about genetics, stem cells, cancer cells, then you know this is impossible. But, WHO CARES. 99.99% of the population wont have the slightest idea. BOOGY BOOGY!!

[evian_ycnan]

Just as Alfred Nobel warned about the misuse of his invention, scientists must be careful about stem cell use. The potential is enormous, but misfires like this only give ammunition to the wing nut Bible thumpers.

The misuse of any technology only serves to defeat its true benefits.

Posted by omnibus66 at 08:15 AM : Feb 18, 2009

Think about that the next time you get a tetanus shot...

[evian_ycnan]

Atheism is a religion in case you didn`t know it.

Posted by ToolMangler at 10:21 PM : Feb 17, 2009

Atheism is the antithesis of religion, where religion is one of the following:

1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

Nope! No "superhuman agency".

2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

Eh, this a maybe... but it`s a stretch only in that the empty set is a subset of all sets.


3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.

That`s always been our problem, our antipathy toward them has always led to our own lack of organization.

4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.

Wow! Talk about all dressed up and no place to go...

5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

Not bloodly likely.

6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

I have to make a "religion" out of explaining to NUTS like you that atheists do not practice a religion, so go pray to your god and leave us alone.

[omnibus66]

Just as Alfred Nobel warned about the misuse of his invention, scientists must be careful about stem cell use. The potential is enormous, but misfires like this only give ammunition to the wing nut Bible thumpers.

The misuse of any technology only serves to defeat its true benefits.

[hunterdon6]

Billions of dollars being spent and no cures yet. Sounds like it might be backed by the Democrats. Wait a minute, President O''bama just opened it up for more wastefull spending.

[toolmangler-2009]

Sorry. I just figured I''d get it said before some religious nuts did.
Posted by cneron at 08:47 PM : Feb 17, 2009




You are just as bad a one of them. A nut is a nut whether he is religious or not, Atheism is a religion in case you didn''t know it.

[dbstevens]

This story isn''t a surprise.