Stem Cell Treatment for MS in India
Cost of Stem cell treatment for Multiple Sclerosis available in India
The cost of stem cell therapy for MS in India is 25,000 - 30,000 USD. The cost is dependent on various factors like number of stem cells required, duration of hospital stay, surgeon’s fee, pre and post treatment tests, etc. The cost of stem therapy for MS is significantly cheaper than western countries, however the success rate remains as good for AHSCT in India.
Stem cell is now a medically proven therapy that holds a promise for Multiple Sclerosis patients. It is an innovative Multiple Sclerosis treatment method and has shown effective results in halting the disease progression. There is no definitive cure available for MS as of now, but management through disease-modifying drugs, steroids, other medications and physical therapy is usually followed for MS patients.
However, these therapies fail to treat MS completely but are able to provide relief from the symptoms and delay the disease progression. Also, the medications used for the management of MS have adverse side-effects and have been associated with major nervous system and cardiovascular damage.
Moreover, the prolonged use of these therapies may cause life-threatening diseases. Hematopoietic Stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a breakthrough procedure in the field of regenerative medicine that can overcome the limitations of currently existing therapies. In HSCT, stem cells are used to regrow the immune system to prevent further damage in the brain and spinal cord.
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune disorder in which the cells of the body’s immune system attacks the central nervous system comprising of brain, spinal cord and nerves. It is an unpredictable, disabling disease in which the patient often suffers from physical, mental and at times neural damage.
Our central nervous system is made of a complex network of cells, known as neurons, that transmit signals from the brain to target parts of the body. Nerve cells are covered with a protective insulating covering called myelin sheath. In multiple sclerosis, myelin sheath is damaged due to attack by immune cells of the body, forming scar tissue (sclerosis). Multiple Sclerosis is typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 50, and the symptoms and severity may vary from person to person. There are four disease courses based on the symptom flare-ups and period of no episodes.
The symptoms range from disability related to vision, movement, speech and swallowing to various motor and sensory functions.
Connect with Experts & Get a Free Personalized Quote
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells which have the ability to develop into a number of specialized cell types to carry out a particular function. These cells in adults function as repair cells to replace the damaged cells and take their place wherever required in the body. There are different types of stem cells – haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), neural stem cells (NSCs), human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The most studied type of stem cell therapy for MS treatment is autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). Haematopoietic Stem Cells are the cells in adults that are found in the bone marrow and blood. These cells are capable of producing different types of cells found in blood and immune cells. Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cells are the stem cells extracted from the patient’s own bone marrow. This minimizes risk of them being rejected by the body.How can Hematopoietic Stem cell transplant (HSCT) treat MS?
MS is thought of involving two types of problems: inflammation and neurodegeneration. Inflammation occurs due to damage to the myelin sheath of the neurons of the spinal cord by the body’s own immune cells. This leads to periods of relapses in which the new symptoms occur or the existing ones worsen. While neurodegeneration is when the nerve cells are damaged because there is no protective covering of insulating sheath, leading to disability and progression of disease.
The Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cells transplant is aimed at slowing the disease progression by rebooting the immune system of the body to prevent further damage to the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The procedure involves removal of the harm-causing immune cells that are attacking the myelin sheath in MS patients and then patient’s own stem cells are used to regrow a normal, healthy immune system. The rationale behind this procedure is – haematopoietic stem cells are harvested at the early developmental stage so that they lack the faulty nature of the MS immune cells. These are then reinfused into the patient’s body after the faulty immune system is destroyed using chemotherapy to reset the body’s immune system. This may result in preventing inflammation in the brain and spinal cord.
Who is eligible for HSCT for MS?
HSCT is not a solution for all MS patient. Certain safety and efficacy assessments are prescribed by the doctor to evaluate the stage of severity of the disease before qualifying the patient for the treatment. Some of these tests are Blood Tests, Chest X- ray and CT Scans, assessment of the heart and lungs condition and Bone Marrow Tests
The ability of the body to withstand the high dose of chemotherapy is also a key factor for the success of Bone Marrow Transplant.
To know if you are eligible for stem cell transplant, send your inquiry to us and we will get back to you.
What are the steps involved in AHSCT procedure?
- Mobilization: In the first stage, a combination of drugs are administered to promote movement of blood cells from your bone marrow into your bloodstream, from where they can be collected.
- Harvesting of cells: This involves collection of stem cells from your body. This is done typically 10 days after mobilization and when the blood test results show growth of enough stems cells. This is done through apheresis in which the blood is collected from the body through a needle in your arm, stem cells are separated and remaining blood is sent back to the body.
- Cryopreservation: In this, the harvested cells are frozen by the method called cryopreservation until the time of reinfusion.
- Conditioning: This is done through chemotherapy, known as conditioning chemotherapy. It causes complete removal of the immune system (myeloablation) or just the partial elimination. This eliminates the faulty lymphocytes (immune cells) that attack the neural cells of the brain and spinal cord.
- Transplantation: Stem cell transplantation involves thawing of the frozen stem cells and reinfusing them back into the patient’s body. This only takes a few hours and the process is similar to blood infusion. The stem cells then move to your bone marrow and can now produce new blood cells including lymphocytes. It might take up to 10-30 days, and for this time period your immune system is very low.
- Recovery: It may take a few months of recovery before you can resume your work. Though, you should keep in mind that recovery time varies from individual to individual. The duration of your stay in India will be about 24 to 28 days and you will be managed on an inpatient basis at the best hospitals in India.
Risks and side effects of HSCT
- Susceptibility to infection: you will be given antibiotics and transfusions to prevent infection while you are immunocompromised
- Development of autoimmune conditions like autoimmune thyroiditis
- Side effects from the chemotherapy: fatigue, weakness and a temporary loss of appetite
Hematopoietic Stem cell transplant (HSCT) treatment for MS in India
India is a mega centre for medical tourism and has been receiving a large international patient volume in the past decade or so. The top-class medical facilities, superior technology, affordable cost packages and highly qualified doctors are the major reason behind the medical tourism in India.
India is home to some of the stem transplant specialists like Dr. Rahul Bharagava who is currently the Head of Hematology and HSCT facility at Fortis Memorial Research Centre, Gurugaon.
Success rate
The patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis have shown significant reduction in disability on an average after AHSCT procedure. Studies have reported that 8% MS patients treated who were followed up for 4 years had no further relapses, and 87% showed no worsening of their level of disability.
There has been significant improvement in balance, vision, motor function, sensitivity with lesser tremor occurrence, reduced neurological pain and reduced tiredness, etc.
Written By Vanshika Rawat
Vanshika Rawat is an experienced content developer. She is very knowledgeable in the field of science and healthcare and has worked under brilliant scientists during her higher education. Vanshika obtained her degrees in Masters in Science and Bachelors in Science (Microbiology with Hons.) from renowned institutions - Panjab University and University of Delhi.
Verified By Dr. Surbhi Suden
Dr. Surbhi Suden is one of the founders of Lyfboat and a doctor with a renowned name in the Medical tourism industry. She has been working with international patients since 2008 and is a deeply committed professional with a long term vision of transforming the current healthcare scenarios.