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Compiled by Janice Kleinschmidt
For several years, parents have been able to bank their baby’s umbilical cord blood, a source of stem cells that the child could use in the future, particularly if there is a family history of anemia, immune disorders, or some cancers. In June, La Quinta MedSpa became the first site in the world to offer LifeStem’s stem cell banking for adults. Drs. Matthew Werner and Edith Gonzalez Werner, both board certified in family medicine, own the medical spa.
“At this point, it’s kind of like buying an insurance policy that you may or may not be able to cash in,” says Matthew Werner, who also has a family practice and is on staff at Eisenhower Medical Center. He explains that the extent to which stem cell technology may be used is still being determined, but that benefits have been realized in treatment for heart disease and lupus. In theory, “with the proper chemical push,” Werner says, stem cells can be adapted to the desired need. They can be used to repopulate body organs impaired by the aging process, disease, or injury.
Scientists at numerous universities are performing clinical trials on replacing damaged tissue with new tissue grown from stem cells. For example, researchers at Rice University in Houston have shown how cultured adult stem cells can be made to grow healthy bone, and University of Minnesota scientists are working to regenerate heart muscle with stem cells.
As yet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved stem cell treatments, but has approved clinical trials. Last December, Hawaiian singer Don Ho, suffering from arrhythmia, traveled to Thailand for a treatment in which stem cells taken from his blood were injected into his heart. A similar treatment has been used in Europe for a couple of years. Ho’s procedure was successful enough to allow him to return to performing.
The LifeStem MicroBank™ Service involves collecting two types of stem cells: blood, which can be used to develop blood consti-tuents; and fat, which can be used to form muscle, cartilage, bone, and skin. Blood-derived stem cells are collected in a similar manner as blood donation (this takes about 35 minutes). Fat-derived stem cells are suctioned through a small tube inserted in the abdomen, thigh, or buttock (this takes less than an hour). One unit
of blood is taken every three months for a year, and 50 cc (about 3 tablespoons) of fat tissue are collected during the third blood collection. Werner will send his samples to LifeStem’s lab in Irvine, where they will be processed and then cryogenically stored. The cost is $3,500 for the initial collection and banking and $200 a year for maintenance. LifeStem is a subsidiary of CalbaTech, which provides products and services to research departments at academic institutions and biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
Information: La Quinta MedSpa, 396-9353 |
