Researchers are using a new technique to treat patients suffering from multiple sclerosis by utilizing treatments used in cancer patients, according to the Guardian. The technique is called an autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant.
Researchers with the Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital conducted a clinical trial on about 20 people.
Using chemotherapy, the researchers destroyed the area in their patients' immune systems that was a source for the MS and then built it back up using stem cells and bone marrow transplants, according to the Independent.
The treatment has been called "miraculous," with patients regaining mobility, including the ability to walk after relying solely on a wheelchair.
"I started seeing changes within days of the stem cells being put in," said patient Holly Drewry, who uses a wheelchair. "I walked out of the hospital. I walked into my house and hugged [my daughter]. I cried and cried. It was a bit overwhelming. It was a miracle."
In Drewry's case, the doctor said her MS seems to have been stopped in its tracks. "It's clear we have made a big impact on patients' lives, which is gratifying," said John Snowden, consulting hematologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
The results of the trial have been detailed in a documentary for BBC Panorama.
