Stem cell therapy is one of the most exciting advances in modern medicine. Scientists have discovered that stem cells — the body’s basic building blocks — can be used to treat dozens of serious conditions, from cancer to autoimmune diseases. In Canada, this field is growing quickly, and many patients are now asking their family doctors about it. This article explains what stem cell therapy is, where stem cells come from, and which conditions it may help treat.
What Are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are “unspecialized” cells. This means they have not yet become a specific type of cell, like a blood cell or a muscle cell. They act as the body’s raw material, capable of developing into many different cell types.
Because of this flexibility, stem cells can help repair and regenerate damaged tissues and organs. This makes stem cell therapy a powerful tool for treating conditions that the body cannot heal on its own.
All specialized cells in the body — including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets — originally come from stem cells. Platelets, for example, are essential for blood clotting. Without them, even a small cut could become dangerous.
Types of Stem Cells Used in Stem Cell Therapy
There are three main types of stem cells that researchers and doctors work with today. Each type has different properties and uses in treatment.
Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cells come from human embryos that are three to five days old. At this stage, the embryo is called a blastocyst and contains roughly 150 cells. These cells are pluripotent, which means they can develop into almost any cell type in the body.
This versatility makes embryonic stem cells especially valuable. However, their use raises ethical questions that continue to be debated in Canada and around the world. Research in this area is carefully regulated by Health Canada.
Adult Stem Cells
Adult stem cells are found in small numbers in tissues like bone marrow and fat. They are more limited than embryonic stem cells — they typically only produce cells similar to the tissue they come from. However, recent studies suggest they may be more flexible than scientists first thought.
Researchers are actively studying adult stem cells for use in patients with neurological and cardiovascular conditions. Bone marrow transplants, a well-known medical procedure, rely on adult stem cells from the bone marrow.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
This is the newest type. Scientists create induced pluripotent stem cells by reprogramming mature skin cells to behave like embryonic stem cells. Skin cells are easy to collect and grow in a lab, which makes this approach very promising.
Because these cells can be made from a patient’s own skin, they may one day allow doctors to create fully personalized therapies. The potential side effects in humans are still being studied, though results in laboratory animals have been encouraging.
Where Do Stem Cells Come From?
Stem cells can be collected from several sources. Knowing where they come from helps explain how stem cell therapy works in practice.
Bone marrow: The soft tissue inside bones is a rich source of adult stem cells. Bone marrow transplants have been used in Canadian hospitals for decades.
Umbilical cord blood: After a baby is born, the blood remaining in the umbilical cord contains a high concentration of stem cells. This blood is often discarded with the placenta, but it can be collected and stored for future medical use.
Fat tissue: Stem cells can also be harvested from fatty tissue, usually through a minor surgical procedure.
Embryos: As mentioned above, embryonic stem cells come from early-stage embryos, typically donated from IVF clinics with informed consent.
Skin cells: Through the iPSC process, even ordinary skin cells can be reprogrammed into stem cells in a laboratory setting.
The Important Role of Cord Blood
Cord blood banking is a topic that often comes up during pregnancy. After birth, the blood inside the umbilical cord is a valuable source of stem cells. In most cases, this cord and the placenta are simply discarded. However, parents can choose to have this blood collected and stored.
Cord blood stem cells work similarly to those found in bone marrow. As a result, they can be used to treat many serious conditions affecting the blood and immune system, including leukemia and certain other cancers. Currently, researchers recognize approximately 70 conditions that cord blood stem cells may help treat.
If you are expecting a baby and are curious about cord blood banking, speak with your family doctor or midwife. They can explain your options and help you decide if it is right for your family. You can also find more information through Mayo Clinic’s guide to stem cells and cord blood.
Conditions That Stem Cell Therapy May Treat
Stem cell therapy is already used to treat a wide range of conditions. Below is an overview of the major categories, based on current medical research.
Cancers and Blood Tumours
This is currently the most established area of stem cell treatment. Stem cells — particularly from cord blood and bone marrow — are used to treat many types of cancer. These include:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute myeloid leukemia
Chronic myeloid leukemia
Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Multiple myeloma
Myelodysplasia (bone marrow failure syndrome)
Neuroblastoma
Ewing’s sarcoma
Retinoblastoma (a type of eye cancer in children)
Rhabdomyosarcoma (a soft tissue cancer)
Testicular cancer
Ovarian cancer
Breast cancer (in certain cases)
Kidney cancer
Merkel cell carcinoma (a rare skin cancer)
Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia
Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy
POEMS syndrome (a rare disorder involving nerve damage, organ enlargement, and hormone problems)
Thymoma (tumours of the thymus gland)
Autoimmune Conditions
Stem cell therapy is also being studied and used for autoimmune diseases — conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. These include:
Multiple sclerosis
Crohn’s disease
Rheumatoid arthritis
Juvenile arthritis
Scleroderma
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus)
Scleromyxoedema
Relapsing polychondritis
Sjögren’s syndrome
Behçet’s disease
Myasthenia gravis
Autoimmune cytopenias (low blood cell counts caused by the immune system)
Systemic vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels)
Alopecia totalis (complete hair loss caused by immune attack)
Blood and Bone Marrow Disorders
Stem cells have long been used to treat serious blood disorders. In many cases, a bone marrow transplant using donor stem cells can essentially replace a faulty blood-producing system. Conditions in this category include:
Sickle cell disease (also called sickle cell anaemia)
Sideroblastic anaemia
Severe aplastic anaemia
Amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (a disorder causing low platelet production)
Epstein-Barr virus-associated disorders
Fanconi anaemia (an inherited bone marrow failure disorder)
Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (congenital red blood cell aplasia)
Thalassaemia major
Heart and Cardiovascular Conditions
Research into using stem cells for heart disease is ongoing and shows real promise. Current areas of study include thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm, angina, and various forms of heart failure.
Furthermore, scientists hope that stem cells could one day help repair heart muscle damaged by a heart attack — a major cause of death and disability in Canada.
Neurological and Degenerative Conditions
Stem cell therapy is being explored for several conditions that affect the brain and nervous system. These include:
Parkinson’s disease
Spinal cord injuries
Stroke-related brain damage
These treatments are still largely in the research phase. However, early results are encouraging. The World Health Organization highlights neurological disorders as a growing global health priority, making this research especially important.
Immune Deficiency Disorders
Some people are born with immune systems that do not function properly. Stem cell therapy offers potential treatments for these rare but serious conditions, including:
Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), sometimes called “bubble boy disease”
X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome
Congenital neutropenia (a disorder where the body cannot produce enough infection-fighting white blood cells)
Eye Conditions
Stem cells show promise for treating certain eye diseases. Specifically, researchers are studying how stem cells can help regenerate the cornea — the clear outer layer of the eye. This could benefit people with corneal damage caused by injury or disease.
When to See a Doctor
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with any of the conditions listed above, it is worth asking your family doctor whether stem cell therapy might be an option. Not every condition will qualify, and treatment availability varies by province.
Your family doctor can refer you to a specialist or connect you with a hospital programme that offers stem cell treatments. If you do not have a family doctor, a walk-in clinic can be a good first step. Staff there can help point you toward the right resources in your provincial health system.
It is also important to be cautious about private clinics offering unproven stem cell treatments for a fee. Always verify that any treatment you consider is approved and regulated. Health Canada maintains oversight of stem cell therapies to protect patient safety.
Always speak with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about medical treatment. The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stem Cell Therapy
What is stem cell therapy used for in Canada?
Stem cell therapy in Canada is most commonly used to treat blood cancers like leukemia, bone marrow disorders, and certain autoimmune diseases. Bone marrow transplants, which rely on stem cells, are performed in major Canadian hospitals. Your provincial health plan may cover this treatment if it is medically recommended by a specialist.
Is stem cell therapy covered by provincial health insurance in Canada?
In many provinces, approved stem cell treatments — such as bone marrow transplants for leukemia — are covered under provincial health plans. However, coverage depends on the specific condition and whether the treatment is considered medically necessary. Ask your family doctor for a referral and check with your provincial health authority for details.
What diseases can be cured by stem cell therapy?
Stem cell therapy has produced long-term remission or effective treatment for conditions like sickle cell disease, thalassaemia, certain leukemias, and severe aplastic anaemia. Researchers are also making progress in autoimmune diseases and neurological conditions. However, “cure” depends heavily on the individual patient and the specific condition being treated.
Should I bank my baby’s cord blood in Canada?
Cord blood banking stores stem cells from your newborn’s umbilical cord for potential future medical use. Canada has both public cord blood banks (where donations benefit anyone who needs them) and private banks (where blood is stored for your family’s exclusive use). Talk to your midwife or family doctor during pregnancy to understand the options and costs involved.
Are stem cell therapies safe?
Established stem cell therapies, such as bone marrow transplants, have a well-documented safety record when performed in regulated Canadian medical centres. Newer treatments, including those using induced pluripotent stem cells, are still in clinical trial phases and carry unknown long-term risks. Always choose treatments that are approved and overseen by Health Canada.
What is the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells?
Embryonic stem cells come from early-stage embryos and can develop into almost any cell type in the body, making them very versatile. Adult stem cells, found in bone marrow and other tissues, are more limited but still useful for many treatments. Both types play important roles in current and future stem cell therapy research.
Key Takeaways
Stem cell therapy uses the body’s own building-block cells to treat, repair
