Question about Stem cell

[lorenzo]

I recently had a Bone Marrow Transplant (autologous stem cell transplant) on April 15 for my Lymphoma. My hair is starting to come back and it appears to be really filling in thicker than I can remember. Although the hair is still fine and soft it appears to more hair than I had before. I don't know if its an illusion or maybe the transplant did help my hair. After 12 rounds of chemo and not taking anything for my hair for 15 months I figure all my hair saved by proscar would be gone. Now as I stated it appears to be growing in fine in all areas.

I wasn't too concerned about transplanted hair. I knew somebody who had a transplant and started chemo 1 year after his transplant. All his transplant grew back but a lot less of his natural hair did.

Now I have been reading about stem cell for hairloss and wondering if anyone can tell me if there is a possiblilty that my stem cell transplant can actually help my hair? Thanks!

[greatjob]

Years ago I would say that it would be highly unlikely that bone marrow stem cells could benefit other tissues, however new evidence is suggesting that bone marrow stem cells may be able to differentiate into different cell types that make up tissues outside of the blood. So I would say that it might be probable that some of the bone marrow stem cells may have migrated to your scalp and differentiated into hair stem cells, although I am unaware of any actual evidence of this happening. If it did in fact happen I think that is an awesome bonus that is very well deserved, because what you went through with the chemo and transplant is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

[lorenzo]

Thanks Greatjob; Good way to explain it. I am unsure because they last thing I was thinking about was my hair. Now that I am recovering a feeling a lot better it would be a great bonus. I had some nurses mentioning to me that my hair will come back and in most cases thicker while getting my BMT. I thought they were probably referring to mostly female patients rather than male. Who knows maybe they know something.

 

it did in fact happen I think that is an awesome bonus that is very well deserved, because what you went through with the chemo and transplant is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

 

The chemo wasn't that bad but the transplant was the most difficult thing I have ever gone through. When your blood counts hit 0 you are almost like living dead. But next week is my 100 day post transplant and that is a big bonus. I am now 5 months cancer free and all my test went perfect. So now my vain self is coming back.

[greatjob]

Thanks Greatjob; Good way to explain it. I am unsure because they last thing I was thinking about was my hair. Now that I am recovering a feeling a lot better it would be a great bonus. I had some nurses mentioning to me that my hair will come back and in most cases thicker while getting my BMT. I thought they were probably referring to mostly female patients rather than male. Who knows maybe they know something.

 

The chemo wasn't that bad but the transplant was the most difficult thing I have ever gone through. When your blood counts hit 0 you are almost like living dead. But next week is my 100 day post transplant and that is a big bonus. I am now 5 months cancer free and all my test went perfect. So now my vain self is coming back.

 

That's awesome man! Good luck to you, all my wishes are with you that it is gone for good!

 

I think those nurses do know something, since I think most of the evidence that the bone marrow stem cells can differentiate into other stem cells during a transplant is anecdotal and comes from the very doctors and nurses that performed your treatment. I haven't seen any studies that have shown this happening, but I also haven't been looking. Anyways glad to hear your doing well, and who knows maybe the transplant cured your baldness too :eek:

[lorenzo]

Thanks! They are actually studying bone marrow transplants (from a donor) as a curse to AIDS. Two patients the were HIV+ before the transplant are now HIV- many months after. Although I would never recommend a BMT for hairloss because it makes no financial or mental sense.

[greatjob]

Thanks! They are actually studying bone marrow transplants (from a donor) as a curse to AIDS. Two patients the were HIV+ before the transplant are now HIV- many months after. Although I would never recommend a BMT for hairloss because it makes no financial or mental sense.

Yeah I watched those cases very closely, virology and bacteriology are my fields of study, those cases were very cool because we have known a small percentage of the population have a mutation in their cd4 cells that don't allow the HIV virus to enter their cells, but those cases were the first time anyone has been able to use that knowledge to treat a patient, very cool stuff!!

 

Yeah I doubt there would be much of a market for BMT to treat hairloss, I think I'd rather be bald

[agenteye]

Yeah I watched those cases very closely, virology and bacteriology are my fields of study, those cases were very cool because we have known a small percentage of the population have a mutation in their cd4 cells that don't allow the HIV virus to enter their cells, but those cases were the first time anyone has been able to use that knowledge to treat a patient, very cool stuff!!

 

Yeah I doubt there would be much of a market for BMT to treat hairloss, I think I'd rather be bald

 

Yeah, but those patients also had a very rare form of leukemia, and the result was going to be fatal if they didn't do the BMT. Very smart though thinking to find a donor match of a donor who lacks the CCR5 receptor on the CD4 cell, and replenish the cancer patient's body with those cells to purge the HIV virus. Too bad it is too dangerous of a treatment to do that for all people afflicted with the damn virus!! Huge step forward none-the-less......and maybe, one day (dare to dream), they will be able to do stuff like that with other cells (get rid of the bald gene) for guys like us! :cool: