This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

My husband has tried all the ABC drugs, Lipitor, ABX protocol, high dose chemo, and steriods iv with no positive change-we are doubtful about any treatment at this point. Docs want him on Tysabri, but we live in rural Alaska and will not have access to Tysabri until the hospital is certified.

His MS doc in Seattle sent a link to a discussion about T cell vs B cell thearpies that I thought this group may find it interesting:

Shortened URL

Its from a meeting in May 2006; its 125 minutes long but does provide the results from many of the trials.

If any of you have had similar response as my husband, but later found something off label or an alternative treatment that actually worked-we would love to learn about it.

Good luck to you all.
PattiD

Sorry to hear about your husband. I hope that they will figure out something for him soon. It must be very difficult times for the two of you.

Wow...thanx for this post. I will have to get out my medical dictionary and listen to this thing about 4 more times but it sounds really interesting from what I can get out of it so far. I just think that MS is not just one disease. Looking into B cells is starting to make a lot more sense. I wanted to hear if there was anything on Tovaxin but I guess no one is going to take it that seriously until it is ready for phase three. Hopefully it will get there. The jerk at www.ihavems.com is not posting anymore so it's hard to find info. on the trials.

MS has traditionally been considered a T cell mediated disease and drugs have targetted T cells. Many now think that B cells are also involved - perhaps driving the progressive phase. Rituxan depletes B cells and is being trialled in all types of MS - RR, SP and PP. Campath another drugs in trial targets both T cells and B cells. The results of the Rituxan trial may shed some light on the role of B cells.

Two websites you might want to check out are cureMSnow - the research is looking at B cells and monson laboratories - they are looking at the role of B cells in MS.

Hope this helps

Ian

PattiD,

Sorry I posted before watching the presentation.

I think the researchers are getting a lot nearer to better understanding this disease. Presentations such as these can be accessed by researchers all over the world which should push forward their thinking / research.

There have been many false dawns in terms of hope for better treatments but technology is certainly helping.

Many thanks

Ian