Introduction
Multiple myeloma is a rare cancer that is being diagnosed in more and more people every year. Officials are concerned that the current trend and are working hard to come up with ways to keep the condition at bay. There are many treatment options for the condition including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and stem cell research in addition to treatment of other conditions associated with the cancer like kidney problem, bone problems and anaemia.
All the treatment procedures are used either singly or with two or more procedures. Chemotherapy can be used together with stem cell transplantation therapy. Stem cell transplantation can be used alone and has many advantages over the other treatment options. This is because it has no effects other parts if the body like the ones affected after chemotherapy. Continued stem cell research can greatly curb such conditions.
Personal reflection
Stem cell research is a unique one. It has the ability to revolutionize the scientific field in many different ways. Cells to be used in transplantation in this case are either harvested from either embryonic cells or undifferentiated adult cells. Cancerous disease like multiple myeloma will be a thing of the past. This condition is rare and the number of people being diagnosed with the condition is increasing rapidly.
Scientist should take the initiative to take care of all the ethics issues associated with stem cell research to be able to save our people.
The research has been faced with controversies and part of it has been put on hold until a better solution is gotten. Stem cells offer solutions that were unimaginable in the past and there is dire need to hasten the remaining part of this research. In the conference held recently, all the advantages and issues facing stem cell research were raised. Possible applications to multiple myeloma were proposed. Stem cell research can be used to replace the defective plasma cells. Normal cells are either harvested from adults or produced through stem cells obtained from embryos and used to make plasma cell lines (Burke, 2010).
Transplantation is the only way the normal plasma cells can get to the body of the patient with defective plasma cells. Defective cells have to be destroyed before the normal plasma cells. This allows the newly transplanted cells to function properly without any problems.
Transplantation of these cells should not be done if the patient is administered with substances that ca compromise the normal function of the plasma cells to be introduced. Patient can only be served when the proper function of the cells is assured. Stem cell research promises much more than any other advent in the field of science and technology (Cioffi, 2010).
Discussion
Multiple myeloma is also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler’s disease. It is condition characterized by high numbers of plasma cells in the body. This leads to high levels of immunoglubilin in the body because these cells produce immunoglobulin. In a recent conference by the American Cancer Society, the cancer was said to be very rare being diagnosed in one person for every one hundred and sixty one people.
More than twenty thousand new cases are reported every year in America. American whites with this cancer accounting for one percent and the Black Americans accounting for about two percent of all cancers. American authorities are greatly concerned and trying to come up with means and strategies of curbing this uncommon cancer (Cioffi, 2010).
Many treatment proposals have been anticipated including stem cell research, radiation and chemotherapies. Scientists are more interested in stem cell research compared to the other treatment options. Scientists in this conference believe that stem cell research can solve the problem effectively without any side effects. Application of stem cell research in this case involves transplantation of stem cells from donors.
The cells could also be produced from either adult undifferentiated cells or from the embryo. In the case of an adult, cells to be transplanted to the patient are harvested from the donor. Patient’s defective cells are destroyed before they can receive the transplant (Cioffi, 2010, Burke, 2010).
During the preparation, the patient is first given a high dose of melphalan which is mostly used in chemotherapy. However, chemotherapy may be avoided because the chemical used can damage the stem cells transplanted on the patient. This also determined by the patient’s age, risk of progression of disease and the state of health. Use of stem cell research without chemotherapy does not produce any side effects making it safer for use. Caution has to be taken to ensure that the patient and the donor are sound.
Bibliography
Burke, M. (2010). Stem cell research. Paper presented at the International society for stem cell research. New York. NY.
Cioffi, A. (2010). The Truth about Stem Cell Research. Paper presented at Florida Catholic Conference. Tampa, FL.
