Cyclophosphamide Regime Treatment May Reverse Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

Multiple sclerosis (MS - disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata 1) autoimmune disease (body's immune system targets and destroys normal tissue) affecting the brain and spinal cord. 2 This autoimmune disease predominately occurs between 20 and 40 years old. 6 Glial Cells in the Central nervous system called oligodendrocytes produce Myelin.5 Myelin contains lipid fats (80%) and proteins (20% including Myelin Basic Protein (MBP), Myelin Oligodendrocyte (MOG), and Proteolipid Protein (PLP) 3) covers and provides insulation for nerves, conduction for impulses along the nerve cells (neurons or axons 3) and maintaining healthy nerves. Multiple sclerosis cause inflammation which slowly and steadily destroys myelin (Demyelination 55 This destructive action mistakenly directs antibodies, white blood cells against the myelin. 7 As result, electrical impulses transmitted along the nerves throughout the brain and spinal cord are disrupted and eventually halted. 4 Along the brain and spinal cord lesions are formed, process developing called "sclerosis"(8): Patient experience impairments, including loss of vision, speech, walking, writing and memory. 4) covering the nerves, oligodendrocyte, and occasionally the axons.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis include: Numbness, tingling or spasms, loss of balance or difficulty walking, weakness in one or both limbs, heat sensitivity, sexual impairment, and blurred or double vision. Less common symptoms of MS may include: Lack of coordination, slurred speech, cognitive impairment, and sudden onset of paralysis. 6 The cause of multiple sclerosis is not fully understood, but scientists believe attributed to genetics and environment factor, exposed to early in life. 4 Others believe a virus such as Epstein-Barr causes MS. 1 The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates approximately 400,000 Americans diagnosed with multiple scelerosis, except when MS attributed to a trauma. 4 Worldwide 2.5 million people have multiple sclerosis. 8 "MS is two to three times as common in females as in males, and its occurrence is unusual before adolescence." 4

Cyclophosphamide (generic name Cytoxan, Neosar, and Revimmune 10) type of drug known as alkylating agent:"it slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body". 9 The use Cyclophosphamide approved by the Food and Drug Administration by itself or combined with other drugs (12) treats small cell lung carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, and other types of cancer. "Cyclophosphamide is also used to treat types of non - malignant kidney disease in children who are not helped by or can no longer take corticosteroids." 12 Cyclophosphamide common side effects include: Loss of appetite or weight, thinned or brittle hair, blistering skin or acne and darkened and thickened skin. 9 Also, the medication can cause infertility in men and women (more likely in older patients), dangerous for pregnant women (cause birth defects), bladder problems (Preventable drinking plenty of fluids during treatment or intravenously prescribed medication called mesna (Mesnex)) and years after the medication is taken increase risk of bladder cancer or other types of cancers, depending on the extent of time cyclophosphamide had been taken. Cyclophosphamide referred to as immunosuppressant medication, decrease the immune response. Approximately 8 - 12 days after treatment begins, reduction of the white blood cell count (part of the immune system), medication will be adjusted by the patient's physician. 11

June 2008 publication 'Archives of Neurology' will report, during a small trial study high-dose of Cyclophosphamide reduce disabilities multiple sclerosis patients endure. 14 The medication restored the neurological functions lost to the disease. During a two year trial study nine patients with aggressive and relapsing multiple sclerosis (six men and three women average age thirty-five) under - went a trial study evaluating the effectiveness of the drug cyclophosphamide.. 13 Previously these participants failed to respond to other treatments.14 Each of these MS patients were administered 50 milligrams per kilogram per day of cyclophosphamide intravenously for four consecutive days. During the time when medication was administered, these volunteers immune system shut down, risking infection and severe health consequences. Also, side effects included hair loss and nausea where temporary. 14

"After an average of 23 months follow-up, the patients experienced an average 39.4 percent reduction in disability and an 87 percent improvement on scores of physical and mental function." Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) confirmed MS patient's reduction in disability, and brain lesions decreased from 6.5 to 1.2 lesions (seven of the nine MS patients 14). Most significantly as result of the medication, patients who had for years endured the disability of MS, some began to walk, control their bowels and bladder and return to work.14 Richard Bauer (31 years old)) one of the MS patient's (paralyzed and in a wheelchair for more than a year) after being treated with cyclophosphamide said: "I'm a regular person again. I've gotten my life back".

Unfortunately cyclophosphamide treatment for MS not always proved successful for all patients, ideal MS patient for drug treatment in the early stage of the disease. 14 After two years of trial treatment, MRI images showed multiple sclerosis reactivated in about half of the participants: May be attributed to the fact MS has different subtypes identified by researchers, and each is thought to be caused by a different autoimmune process, requiring a specific or unique course of treatment, not suitable for each subtype.17 Further research is necessary to overcome the drug limitations, not in a controlled group. 14 Chitra Krishnan of the Bloomberg School of Public Health at John Hopkins University in Baltimore and lead author of the study said: "In many of those patients, the functional improvement was sustained through the length of the study (up to 24 months) despite the absence of any immunomodulatory therapies beyond the initial high - dose of cyclophophamide treatment." 13 Dr. Douglas Kerr, associate professor of neurology at the School of Medicine said: "We had hoped that we could halt the progression of the disease completely, but what we got was even better." Dr. John Richert, executive vice president for research and clinical programs at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society awaits a corporate sponsor to invest money help further there research regarding treating MS patients with Cyclophophamide. 14

The study authors concluded cyclophophamide potentially a new treatment for multiple sclerosis instead of bone narrow transplantation.15 Bone narrow transplantation many researchers believe replace or wipe out bad cells that cause multiple sclerosis, but the risk of infection is high, may cause death (5 - 7 percent 18). 16 A bone narrow transplant cost about $300,000 compared to cyclophophamide treatment cost approximately $25,000 to $30,000. Also, drugs currently available and those undergoing research treat multiple sclerosis requires continuous use otherwise the disease continues to advance. Dr. Kerr said regarding cyclophophamide: "This treatment is based on a completely different model - a 1 time therapy with a long - term benefit". 18

References:

1.) Multiple sclerosis - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sclerosis

2.) What is Multiple Sclerosis? http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/guide/what-is-multiple-sclerosis

3.) myelin - http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/myelin.html

4.) Multiple Sclerosis - http://www.medicinenet.com/multiple_sclerosis/article.htm

5.) demyelination - http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/demyelination.html

6.) Multiple Sclerosis: Recognizing Multiple Sclerosis - http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/guide/recognizing-multiple-sclerosis

7.) Multiple sclerosis - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/DS00188

8.) What is MS? - http://www.mslifelines.com/understanding-ms/what-is-ms.jsp

9.) Cyclophosphamide - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682080.html

10.) Cyclophosphamide - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclophosphamide

11.) CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE (Cytoxan) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/cyclophosphamide.asp

12.) Cyclophosphamide - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/druginfo/cyclophosphamide

13.) Cancer Drug Appears to Help with Aggressive MS - http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/616309/main.html

14.) "I've gotten my life back' - http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.md.ms24jun24,0,3787286.story?track=rss

15.) Cancer Drug Appears to Help With Aggressive MS - http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20080612/hl_hsn/cancerdrugappearstohelpwithaggressivems

16.) Experimental treatment gives new hope to MS patients - http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9711/17/ms.treatment/index.html

17.) "HiCy" Drug Regimen Reverses MS Symptoms in Selected Patients - http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110709.php

18.) High - Dose Cyclophosphamide Reduces Disability in Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis - http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/575980_print