Why pursue stem cell therapy for liver disease?
Liver disease endangers human health worldwide, accounting for approximately 2 million deaths annually. Unfortunately, the current treatment options for damaged or diseased livers come with significant drawbacks. Patients with severe liver disease end up needing whole-organ transplants, but suitable organs are in short supply and the procedure are expensive. Worse, the immunosuppressive drugs that the patient needs to take after the transplant can significantly reduce quality of life. Fortunately, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is emerging as a promising new treatment option for patients with liver disease.

How stem cells help with liver disease
Although the liver has some capacity for regeneration, it is possible to injure it beyond its ability to repair itself. When it is repeatedly or continuously damaged (e.g. from prolonged alcohol use), it tries to repair itself by forming scar tissue. When this scar tissue becomes widespread, the liver’s ability to regenerate becomes severely limited. This extensive scarring, called cirrhosis, is irreversible in most cases, and the patient ends up needing a liver transplant.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) naturally “home” to damaged areas in the body, where they trigger healing processes. In patients with liver disease, they can reduce tissue damage and stimulate repair and regeneration. Several clinical trials have shown stem cell transplantation to be effective for diseases including liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver tumors. In 2020, a systematic review of 24 clinical trial studies found stem cell therapy to be superior to conventional treatments in restoring liver function and improving patient survival. MSC therapy, in particular, is regarded as a safe and promising strategy for the treatment of various liver diseases.

*Typical Treatment Protocol
A typical protocol consists of intravenous transplant of 100+ million cord tissue-derived MSCs (Mesenchymal Stem Cells). The procedure takes approximately 45 minutes. The protocol is minimally invasive to the patient and has very little downtime. Patients normally travel home two days following their scheduled appointment.

Treatment goals
Our protocol aims to reduce the overall levels of chronic low-grade inflammation in the body. The effects are expected to last for a very long time.‍

Stem cells are uniquely and intrinsically able to migrate to sites of damage and inflammation in the body. Studies have shown that stem cells are able to orchestrate the repair and regeneration of deteriorated tissues, as well as modulate the immune system, to promote better health.

The benefits of stem cell therapy can include a reduction in harmful symptoms, the slowing of the progression of the disease, and an overall increase in quality of life.

*Treatment protocols are individualized for each patient according to a variety of factors, including overall patient health, condition, and severity. A protocol optimized for your particular situation will be developed in consultation with a stem cell physician and a review of your medical records.