Spinal cord injuries are extremely serious and often result in irreversible damage. One can receive a spinal cord injury in a number of ways. One of the most common causes of SCI is being involved in an accident, such as a car accident or fall. Though many SCIs are thought to be irreversible, new research shows that an already existing drug could help patients who suffer these types of injuries heal.
Epothilone is a drug currently used to treat cancer, but studies show that it can also help reduce the formation of scar tissue on the spinal cord as well as stimulate growth of damaged nerve cells. When a spinal cord injury occurs, injured nerve cells will usually fail to regenerate, resulting in lasting damage. This is because scar tissue develops and limits the molecular processes within the nerves.
According to Frank Bradke at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), “The ideal treatment for promoting axon regeneration after spinal cord injury would inhibit the formation of scar tissue…However, it is also important that the growth-inhibiting factors are neutralized while reactivating the poor axons’ regenerative potential.” The study’s lead author, Dr. Jörg Ruschel, stated that “It all depends on the dose… In higher doses, epothilone inhibits the growth of cancer cells, while low doses have been shown to stimulate axonal growth in animals without the severe side-effects of cancer treatment.”
Epothilone seems to prove effective because it can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and get into the central nervous system to reach the damaged axons directly, unlike other cancer drugs. The results were published recently in the journal Science.
As stated, a spinal cord injury can result in serious and life-altering damage to the body’s ability to move and function normally. If you have been involved in an accident that has led to spinal cord damage, the team at the Gilleon Law Firm, APC in San Diego wants to help. We provide diligent and successful litigators who have extensive experience working on spine injury cases. We will provide you with the aggressive legal representation you need when you are suffering the effects of a spinal injury caused by negligence, whether in a car accident, workplace accident or other traumatic event.
If you have had the misfortune of suffering from this devastating condition, do not lose hope. The team at the Gilleon Law Firm, APC can help you pursue compensation to pay for medical treatment, including past and future treatment and therapy, and to help you rebuild your life post-accident.