A doctor at the Lung Institute recently released a report outlining a study showing that stem cell therapy in patients with lung diseases can improve patients’ quality of life along with pulmonary function. The article is titled “Autologous Stem Cell Therapy and its Effects on COPD:  A Pilot Study.”

The white paper by Jack Coleman Jr., M.D., mentions a pilot study conducted at the Lung Institute, in which researchers tested approximately 100 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Within three months of treatment with autologous stem cell therapy, 84 percent of the patients found their quality of life improved, with an average improvement of 35 percent.

In the study, researchers analyzed 25 patients in more detail regarding lung function, and found that 48 percent had an increase in pulmonary function higher than 10 percent, with the average rate of improvement at 16 percent.

The discovery could change lives significantly. For millions of people suffering from COPD, a natural decline in pulmonary health is a harsh reality. The study confirms that undifferentiated multipotent endogenous tissue stem cells — cells that have been identified in nearly all tissues — contribute to tissue maintenance and repair due to their inherent anti-inflammatory properties. 

Although research on the use of autologous stem cells is still in its early stages, it has shown substantive progress in treating patients with few, if any, adverse effects, Coleman said in a news release. “COPD is currently the third leading cause of death in the United States, and we’re giving our patients an alternative option that doesn’t just mask the symptoms,” he said.

Lung diseases are degenerative, which means the pulmonary function declines over time, making an improvement in pulmonary function even more significant.

Research and clinical advancements in the benefits of regenerative cellular therapy are part of a conference hosted by the Vatican in Rome. The Vatican and the White House are promoting an increase in awareness of this therapy.

In an article published on ChristianNewsWire, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith stated, “It remains one of the best kept secrets in America that umbilical cord blood stem cells and adult stem cells in general are curing people of a myriad of terrible conditions and diseases in adults as well as children.” The White House has passed a bill approving funding for stem cell research.

The Lung Institute is a key medical provider of regenerative cellular therapy for lung diseases such as COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and interstitial lung disease. With more than 1,500 patients and based in Tampa, Florida, the institute has three clinics in Nashville, Tennessee; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Pittsburgh. Three more clinics are slated to open this year.