Researchers in London’s Hammersmith Hospital have begun a pioneering trial using patients’ own stem cells to treat their chronic liver disease.

They are attempting to reverse cirrhosis of the liver by harnessing and enhancing the body’s own repair mechanism.

They are using adult stem cells extracted from patients’ bone marrow to generate new tissue in damaged areas.

A Japanese group is also testing adult stem cells as a treatment for liver fibrosis.

Alison Rogers, chief executive of the British Liver Trust which campaigns for patients with liver disease, is also hopeful of the promises stem cell treatment holds out.

“Like many new technologies under development they take time and you hear of exciting results that in the end don’t come to fruition, but stem cell technology represents a huge leap forward in treating many diseases.

“In liver disease in particular it has the potential for tremendous advances.”

“We have seen that stem cell technology can do so much in general medicine so we can be confident it will really help in liver disease - the question is just when this starts to be seen in the clinic.”

Source: BBC


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