Adult stem cells little or no help to heart repair

MSNBC ^ | The Associated Press

[Sun]

reaganson77, please let us know when AP or any LMSM covers this:

Current Stem Cell Treatments

ADULT Stem Cells v. EMBRYONIC Stem Cells

ADULT Stem Cells
Cancers:
Brain Cancer
Retinoblastoma
Ovarian Cancer
Skin Cancer: Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Testicular Cancer
Tumors abdominal organs Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia
Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia
Cancer of the lymph nodes: Angioimmunoblastic Lymphadenopathy
Multiple Myeloma
Myelodysplasia
Breast Cancer
Neuroblastoma
Renal Cell Carcinoma
Various Solid Tumors
Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Ewing’s Sarcoma
Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
POEMS syndrome
Myelofibrosis
Auto-Immune Diseases
Systemic Lupus
Sjogren’s Syndrome
Myasthenia
Autoimmune Cytopenia
Scleromyxedema
Scleroderma
Crohn’s Disease
Behcet’s Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Juvenile Arthritis
Multiple Sclerosis
Polychondritis
Systemic Vasculitis
Alopecia Universalis
Buerger’s Disease
Cardiovascular
Acute Heart Damage
Chronic Coronary Artery Disease
Ocular
Corneal regeneration
Immunodeficiencies
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome
X-linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome
X-linked Hyper immunoglobulin M Syndrome
Neural Degenerative Diseases and Injuries
Parkinson’s Disease
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke Damage
Anemias and Other Blood Conditions
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sideroblastic Anemia
Aplastic Anemia
Red Cell Aplasia
Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia
Thalassemia
Primary Amyloidosis
Diamond Blackfan Anemia
Fanconi’s Anemia
Chronic Epstein-Barr Infection
Wounds and Injuries
Limb Gangrene
Surface Wound Healing
Jawbone Replacement
Skull Bone Repair
Other Metabolic Disorders
Hurler’s Syndrome
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Krabbe Leukodystrophy
Osteopetrosis
Cerebral X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy
Liver Disease
Chronic Liver Failure
Liver Cirrhosis
Bladder Disease
End-Stage Bladder Disease



EMBRYONIC Stem Cells

NONE!!!!!

http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm

[HEY4QDEMS]

I haven't heard a single respectable researcher claiming one or the other is clearly the most promising.

Why don't you read the article first before contradicting me.

Who are these "respectable researchers" that you speak of? Can you provide a list of names so I know who is worthy of listening to?

From the article:
some scientists say, demonstrate the need to lift political limits on using cells from embryos, which offer more promise

[GovernmentShrinker]

The words you selected are not those of the scientists quoted in the article; they are the words of the unnamed writers of this AP staff article, who then attempt to support their statement by quoting Dr. Kenneth Chien, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiovascular Research Center, who said:

“The optimal cell type has not been discovered yet,” said . . . ", and referring specifically to embryonic stem cells for cardiac muscle treatment, he said “This is an area worthy of further pursuit.”

Given the context and his position, he is clearly talking about "optimal" for this specific type of treatment -- repairing damaged cardiac muscle -- not for the entire vast field of medicine. And he is not saying that there's no point doing any further research with adult cells even for this type of treatment, much less for a wide range of other potential treatments.

The writer(s) also paraphrases comments made by Dr. Robert Schwartz, deputy editor of the medical journal which reported these studies, saying he "lamented that dozens of companies promise cures that involve adult or cord-blood stem cells, though there’s no clear proof that this works", and quotes him as saying “These three clinical trials probably will not stop the exploitation of patients”" This is a condemnation of premature and profit-driven claims of succesful adult stem cell-related treatments for particular conditions, not a condemnation of the whole concept of treatments derived from adult stem cells.

The writer goes on to report that "Schwartz and others said the three new studies illustrate the need to pursue embryonic stem cell research" -- again no implication that they said adult stem cell research is pointless, just that embryonic stem cell is part of the research they feel needs to be done. They haven't found or created the right cell type yet, so they want to keep looking everywhere, and not have a large swath of promising ground selectively restricted.

Researchers who are getting substantial public and/or private funding for any type of stem cell research, and getting their work published in major peer-reviewed journals, are worth listening to. And you won't find any of them claiming that either adult or embryonic stem cells hold no promise for treatment development and therefore shouldn't be pursued. You may find a few saying that for religious/ethical reasons they are opposed to embryonic stem cell research, but they aren't saying that it wouldn't lead to good treatments if it was done.

[GovernmentShrinker]

And why do you say I was "contradicting" you? I don't see any contradiction; I just expanded on your points.

[mware]

Let the market decide what has the better probability for success. Adult stem cell research has clinical studies in 67 different areas while embryonic stem cell have none.

BTW welcome to FRee Republic.

[mware]

Don't ya love that web site.

You will never see it in the main stream media.

[reaganson77]

that's because it's been only researched for 8 years.

[Sun]

"Don't ya love that web site.
You will never see it in the main stream media."

I do love that website, but LMSM won't mention it, because you don't have to kill innocent lives for these treatments.

[Sun]

Maybe you have learned from this, and not be so quick to have blind faith in mainstream media.

Always do your own research, & get both sides.

[Coleus]

thanks Dave, there is just so much info. out there. It's hard to for us to understand the medical profession and journal articles. While one Doctor says adult stem cells work with improving heart function as it did with Don Ho, another says they do not work. Another thing I'd like to know is how an adult stem cell knows when to shut off after the heart organ improved function.

BTW, Dr. Christopher Cannon is mentioned here:

Heart Doc: GOP Convention May Have Saved Clinton's Life
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1207453/posts