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What is Cell Therapy? 什麼是細胞療法？

2025-06-11

🧫 What is Cell Therapy?

Cell therapy involves the transplantation of living cells into the human body to repair or replace damaged tissue, regulate immune function, or restore organ function. Depending on the cell type and treatment goals, cell therapy includes stem cell therapy, immune cell therapy, and autologous or allogeneic cell-based approaches.

🔍 Major Clinical Applications of Cell Therapy

1. 🧠 Neurological Disorders

  • Conditions Treated: Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, stroke recovery, multiple sclerosis (MS)

  • Mechanism: Stem cells may differentiate into neurons or glial cells, supporting nerve repair and function restoration

  • Clinical Status: Early-stage trials show promise in improving motor function and neural regeneration

2. ❤️ Cardiovascular Diseases

  • Conditions Treated: Myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, peripheral artery disease

  • Cell Types Used: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), cardiac progenitor cells, autologous peripheral blood stem cells

  • Mechanism: Cells promote tissue repair and angiogenesis via paracrine signaling and regenerative support

3. 🦴 Degenerative and Musculoskeletal Conditions

  • Conditions Treated: Osteoarthritis (especially knee joints), cartilage degradation, tendon injuries

  • Common Cell Types: Autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), bone marrow stem cells

  • Benefits: Reduce inflammation, support cartilage regeneration, relieve pain, and improve mobility

4. 🧬 Cancer Immunotherapy

Applied Technology：
  • CIK Therapy (Cytokine-Induced Killer cells)
  • TIL Therapy (Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes)
  • CAR-T Cell Therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells)

  • Cancers Treated:

    • Blood cancers (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma) — CAR-T is most advanced

    • Solid tumors (e.g., melanoma, lung cancer, gastric cancer) — TIL and CIK in clinical use

  • Mechanism: Enhances T cells' ability to recognize and kill cancer cells through targeted immune activation

5. 🧠 Autoimmune & Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

  • Conditions Treated: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis

  • Cell Types: Mesenchymal stem cells with immune-modulating capabilities

  • Clinical Effects: Reduce inflammation, improve immune regulation, and relieve clinical symptoms

  • Status: Several treatments are in Phase II/III clinical trials

6. 🧫 Liver and Kidney Disease

  • Applications:

    • Chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis

    • Early-stage chronic kidney disease or injury

  • Mechanism: Stem cells may differentiate into hepatocyte-like or renal tubular cells, supporting tissue repair and slowing disease progression

  • Clinical Status: Trials are ongoing in several countries, including Taiwan

7. 🌸 Reproductive Medicine and Women's Health

  • Applications:

    • Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI)

    • Thin endometrium or intrauterine adhesions

  • Cell Types: Autologous bone marrow or umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells

  • Clinical Trend: Applied to improve endometrial receptivity and implantation success in IVF treatment

🌐 Types of Cell Therapy & Cell Sources

Stem Cell Therapy 

  • Cell Source: Bone marrow, fat tissue, umbilical cord 
  • Common Uses: Regeneration, anti-inflammation  

CAR-T Therapy

  • Cell Source: Genetically engineered T cells 
  • Common Uses: Blood cancers

CIK Therapy 

  • Cell Source: Activated peripheral blood T cells 
  • Common Uses: Solid tumors (adjuvant therapy)

iPSC Therapy 

  • Cell Source: Reprogrammed somatic cells 
  • Common Uses: Experimental – high future potential

⚠️ Important Considerations

  • Many cell therapies remain in clinical trial phases and must be administered under strict medical supervision.

  • Long-term efficacy and safety are still under investigation. Regulatory approval is limited to specific therapies and regions.

  • Avoid unregulated "cell therapy tourism." Always seek treatment from certified medical institutions.

🧫 什麼是細胞療法？

細胞療法是指將活細胞移植到人體內，以修復、取代受損組織或調節免疫系統功能的醫療技術。根據使用的細胞種類與目的，可分為多種形式，包含幹細胞療法、免疫細胞療法、自體或異體細胞治療等。

🔍 細胞療法的主要應用領域

1. 🧠 神經系統疾病

  • 治療標的：帕金森氏症、脊髓損傷、中風後修復、多發性硬化症（MS）

  • 原理：透過幹細胞分化為神經元或支持細胞，促進神經修復與功能恢復

  • 臨床進展：仍在進行多項臨床試驗，但初步研究顯示在改善運動功能與神經傳導上具有潛力

2. ❤️ 心血管疾病

  • 治療標的：心肌梗塞、心臟衰竭、周邊動脈阻塞

  • 使用細胞：骨髓間質幹細胞、心肌祖細胞、自體外周血幹細胞

  • 機制：細胞釋放生長因子（paracrine effect），促進心肌修復與血管新生

3. 🦴 退化性與關節疾病

  • 治療標的：退化性關節炎（尤其是膝關節）、軟骨磨損、肌腱損傷

  • 常用細胞：自體脂肪來源間質幹細胞（ADSCs）、骨髓間質幹細胞（BMSCs）

  • 效果：減緩發炎、促進軟骨再生，有助於改善關節活動度與減少疼痛

4. 🧬 癌症免疫療法

  • 代表技術：CAR-T 細胞療法（嵌合抗原受體T細胞）、TIL（腫瘤浸潤淋巴細胞）療法、CIK療法

  • 主要應用癌別：

    • 血癌類（如急性淋巴性白血病、淋巴瘤）→CAR-T最成熟

    • 黑色素瘤、肺癌、胃癌等實體腫瘤→TIL、CIK應用中

  • 機制：強化T細胞辨識並殺死腫瘤細胞，屬於個人化的免疫療法

5. 🧠 自體免疫疾病與慢性發炎

  • 應用疾病：紅斑性狼瘡、類風濕性關節炎、克隆氏症、多發性硬化症等

  • 細胞來源：間質幹細胞具有免疫調節作用，可減少過度免疫反應

  • 效果：降低發炎反應、改善臨床症狀，部分療法已進入II/III期臨床試驗

6. 🧫 肝臟與腎臟疾病

  • 應用情境：

    • 慢性肝炎、肝硬化

    • 慢性腎病、腎衰竭早期

  • 機制：幹細胞可分化為肝細胞樣細胞或腎小管細胞，有助於組織修復與延緩惡化

  • 現況：部分國家已啟動臨床試驗，台灣也有幹細胞用於肝硬化的研究

7. 🌸 生殖醫學與女性健康

  • 應用案例：

    • 卵巢早衰、子宮內膜薄弱

    • 子宮損傷修復（例如手術後、內膜沾黏）

  • 常見細胞：自體骨髓或臍帶間質幹細胞

  • 研究趨勢：逐漸應用於輔助生殖（IVF）患者的子宮內膜修復與胚胎著床率提升

🌐 臨床應用的分類與細胞來源

幹細胞療法：

  • 來源：骨髓、脂肪、臍帶 
  • 應用範疇：修復組織、抗發炎

CAR-T療法 

  • 來源：T細胞（經基因改造） 
  • 應用範疇： 血液癌症

CIK療法

  • 來源：外周血T細胞活化 
  • 應用範疇：實體腫瘤輔助治療

iPSC技術（誘導性多能幹細胞） 

  • 來源：重編程體細胞 
  • 應用範疇：尚屬實驗階段，潛力巨大

⚠️ 注意事項與限制

  • 多數細胞療法仍屬臨床試驗階段，需經過嚴格審查與專業醫師評估。

  • 安全性與長期療效仍需更多證據，部分療法尚未取得正式藥證。

  • 不可輕信未經核可的「細胞治療旅遊」或非法治療，須選擇合格醫療機構。

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