Stem cell treatment for post-prostate cancer surgery incontinence – but note there are potential severe risks associated with it

This is an amazing advance in science – BUT THERE IS A RISK THAT STEM CELL THERAPY MIGHT MULTIPLY ANY RESIDUAL CANCER CELLS THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND AFTER SURGERY.

“Decades ago, researchers discovered that a particular type of stem cell — mesenchymal stem cells — in bone marrow could generate new bone, cartilage, and fat. In 2001 researchers discovered that mesenchymal cells are even more plentiful in body fat…. Injured and inflamed cells send out an SOS signal; new stem cells pick it up. “The stem cells are so smart, all you have to do is turn them loose,” he offers. “They float around to different areas of the body and fix them.”…you’ll find a significant number of unhappy people who’ve paid thousands of dollars at clinics and have not seen any results. ?” [Source]

“Stem cells are able to be derived from a number of sources: embryonic stems cells (ESCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) , which include: placental or amniotic fluid stem cells (AFPSCs), muscle-derived stem cells (MDSC) , adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) , bone-marrow-derived stem cells, and even urinary-derived stem cells (USC).” [Urinary Continence and Sexual Function After Robotic Radical Prostatectomy]

Human trials in stress urinary incontinence have been ongoing for a number of years. Carr et al. reported on a patient population of 38 women with stress urinary incontinence who underwent muscle-derived stem cell injections into the sphincter. The women were also offered a second injection 3 months later. Ninety percent of the treated women had over a 50 % decrease in pad weight and only 50 % reported leaks. Adverse events were essentially absent [ 38 ].

Gotoh treated 11 men with persistent stress urinary incontinence 1 year after prostate surgery and demonstrated a 60 % decrease in urinary leakage volume on pads weighed by the patients. One of the 11 achieved complete return of urinary control. Functional urethral leak and urethral closing pressures were also increased compared to pretreatment levels. No adverse events were reported [39 ].

Currently, there is a large multicenter ongoing trial phase 3 trial in the United States with muscle-derived stem cells in women with stress urinary incontinence and a phase 1, 2 trial using muscle-derived stem cell in postpros-tatectomy incontinence (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01893138 and NCT02291432).

Although stem cells derived from any source are not yet ready for clinical use in men with stress urinary incontinence after radical retropubic prostatectomy, the future appears to hold promise. Nonetheless, ethical and regulatory issues remain of concern and may present hurdles to widespread clinical adoption [40 ].

The early ethical concerns surrounding the use of fetal embryonic stem cells have by and large been resolved by the development of so many other sources for multipotent stem cells. Nonetheless, the recent classification of stem cells as a “drug” places them under the purview of the FDA and now regulatory hurdles may enhance or impede the science and usefulness of these agents.

Finally, the fears of the development of secondary cancers or causing early recurrences/failures of cancers if stems cells are released into the operative field to and in early functional recovery are very real. Well-structured trials need to be carried out to address these questions and the questions of which (if any) of the currently available products might be best used in men undergoing prostatectomy. Nonetheless, the future of stem cells use in our patients undergoing prostatectomy appears bright.  [Urinary Continence and Sexual Function After Robotic Radical Prostatectomy]

Stem cells have been found to fix this issue by regenerating relevant tissue – THIS DOCTOR DOES IT. (Michell Kaye).

Male Incontinence and Cell Surgical Network is using Stromal Vascular Fraction with adipose derived adult mesenchymal stem cells to treat post prostatectomy incontinence. The SVF and a small amount of condensed fat matrix is injected with a telescope directly into a deficient sphincter under local anesthetic. Based on experience from Nagoya University, Japan where Stromal Vascular Fraction has been used successfully for male incontinence, we believe that the external sphincter may be regenerated to some extent to provide bladder control. can provide access to the same technology through our investigatory protocol. [Source]

“In the past five years, the number of U.S. stem cell clinics has mushroomed from 25 to 570, according to a recent report published in the journal Cell Stem Cell…. the costly procedures are still unapproved by the FDA, leaving an open gate for medical charlatans and hucksters.” [Source – including analysis]

“the FDA warns that stem cells can migrate to the wrong site or turn into tumors.” [source]

CLINICAL TRIALS IN AUSTRALIA

http://www.stemcellsaustralia.edu.au/About-Stem-Cells/trials-in-australia.aspx

PAPERS/REPORTS

Stem Cell Injections Ease Incontinence (2007) [“Endoscopic injections of human umbilical cord blood stem cells may be a safe treatment option for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), according to findings presented here at the American Urological Association annual meeting.”]

Stem Cell Therapy for Incontinence: Where Are We Now? (2011) What is the Realistic Potential?
Charuspong Dissaranan, Michelle A. Cruz, Bruna M. Couri, Howard B. Goldman, and Margot S. Damaser [” the future of this therapy looks promising”]

Stem Cells Treatment for the Local Urinary Incontinence After a Radical Prostate Cancer Surgery (2012) – clinical trial.

Stem cell injection successfully treats urinary incontinence (2012) [“The procedure means that today, she can do her strenuous morning exercises of standing broad jumps and stride jumps without having to wear heavy pads to absorb leakage.”

Stem Cell Therapy for Male Urinary Incontinence – Giberti C. · Gallo F. · Schenone M. · Cortese P. · Ninotta G. [“Regarding animal studies, bone marrow-, muscle- and adipose-derived stem cells have been widely studied, showing regeneration of the urethral sphincter and recovery of the damaged pelvic nerves. With regard to human studies, only four papers are available in the literature using muscle- and adipose-derived stem cells which reported a significant improvement in sphincteric function and incontinence with no severe side effects.”]

Pilot Study of Adipose Stem Cells in the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence (2014) [“ASC injection is a viable treatment strategy for female urinary incontinence.”]

Stem Cells May Ease Urinary Incontinence, Study Says (2014) [The study is published online in the July issue of the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.]

The potential role of stem cells in the treatment of urinary incontinence (2015) Christine Tran and Margot S. Damas [“Early clinical trials using stem cells for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in both male and female patients have also achieved promising functional results with minimal adverse effects.”]

Stem Cell Therapy for Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence: The Current Status and Challenges
(2016) Shukui Zhou,1 Kaile Zhang,1 Anthony Atala,2 Oula Khoury,2 Sean V. Murphy,2 Weixin Zhao,2 and Qiang Fu1[“stem cell transplantation as a therapy for SUI has great promise”]

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