Medical Review: Dr. Gerald Mastaw, MD – Board-Certified Physician
Last Updated: October 2025
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes ongoing inflammation anywhere along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract — most often the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine.
This inflammation can lead to pain, fatigue, and poor nutrient absorption.
Common Symptoms
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Persistent diarrhea or urgent bowel movements
- Unintended weight loss
- Fatigue or low energy
- Fever during flare-ups
- Nutritional deficiencies from poor absorption
Possible Risk Factors
- Family history of IBD
- Overactive or misdirected immune response
- Environmental triggers such as diet, stress, or smoking
Crohn’s symptoms often cycle between flare-ups and remission, which can make long-term management challenging.
Conventional Approaches to Treatment
While there’s currently no cure, standard care focuses on controlling inflammation and preventing complications.
Medications
- Corticosteroids – to quickly reduce inflammation during flare-ups
- Immunosuppressants – to calm the immune system
- Biologic agents – to block inflammatory pathways (e.g., anti-TNF drugs)
Lifestyle & Nutrition
- Identifying and avoiding food triggers
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals
- Staying hydrated and supplementing nutrients as needed
Surgery
- Removing severely damaged intestinal segments
- Treating strictures, abscesses, or fistulas
- Typically reserved for patients who don’t respond to medication
Even with the best care, many patients experience relapses or side effects that affect quality of life — leading some to explore regenerative approaches.
Regenerative Medicine and Crohn’s Disease
Regenerative medicine, particularly using umbilical cord tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCT-MSCs), is being studied as a novel way to calm inflammation and support intestinal repair.
How MSC Therapy May Help
- Regulates overactive immune responses
- Reduces chronic inflammation in the intestinal wall
- Encourages tissue regeneration and mucosal healing
- Improves nutrient absorption by restoring gut lining integrity
- May lower dependence on steroids or immune-suppressing drugs
Preliminary research suggests that stem-cell-based therapy may lead to:
- Fewer flare-ups
- Improved intestinal healing on imaging and endoscopy
- Enhanced overall well-being and energy
⚠️ Note: MSC therapy for Crohn’s disease is investigational and not FDA-approved. However, clinical evidence continues to expand showing encouraging safety and efficacy results.
Recent Advances in Regenerative Medicine for Crohn’s Disease
2025 – Stem Cell Educator Therapy in Long-Term Crohn’s
Title: Clinical, Immunological, Radiographic, and Pathologic Improvements in a Patient with Long-Standing Crohn’s Disease After Receiving Stem Cell Educator Therapy
Date: July 28, 2025
Link: MDPI – International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Summary:
A 78-year-old patient with chronic Crohn’s received one treatment of Stem Cell Educator therapy using umbilical cord blood stem cells. Within weeks, bowel movements normalized and abdominal pain disappeared. Follow-up colonoscopies at 5 weeks and 6 months showed healed intestinal lining and no active inflammation. Blood tests confirmed major drops in inflammatory markers, and CT imaging revealed full mucosal recovery.
2025 – MSC Therapy for Perianal Fistulizing Crohn’s (Meta-Analysis)
Title: Efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies in the treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Date: March 28, 2025
Link: Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Summary:
This review of 25 studies involving ~600 patients found that 58% of those treated with MSCs achieved complete fistula closure by 6 months — substantially higher than control groups. No increase in adverse events was noted, confirming strong safety and meaningful clinical improvement in a difficult-to-treat Crohn’s complication.
2024 – Comprehensive Review of Stem Cell Therapy for Crohn’s
Title: Safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy for Crohn’s disease: an umbrella review of systematic reviews
Date: September 30, 2024
Link: PubMed Central
Summary:
Researchers pooled 16 previous reviews of stem-cell-based therapy in Crohn’s disease. Results showed higher remission rates and improved fistula healing compared with conventional treatments. Importantly, MSC therapy did not increase infection or adverse event risks, suggesting it may be a reliable adjunctive treatment in complex cases.
2024 – Umbilical Cord MSCs in Moderate-to-Severe Crohn’s
Title: Therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells in Crohn’s disease
Date: April 25, 2024
Link: News-Medical Summary / Research Report
Summary:
In a Chinese pilot study, patients with active Crohn’s unresponsive to standard therapy received local stem-cell injections during colonoscopy plus IV infusion. By 12 weeks, ~50% showed visible ulcer healing and some achieved complete mucosal repair. At 24 weeks, many reached clinical remission with no major side effects, suggesting MSC therapy may restore gut integrity safely.
Could Regenerative Medicine Be Right for You?
You may want to consider regenerative therapy if you:
- Experience frequent or severe flare-ups despite medication
- Struggle with side effects from steroids or biologics
- Want to explore non-surgical, restorative approaches
- Seek a therapy that focuses on repairing intestinal tissue, not just controlling symptoms
At Stemedix, our team carefully reviews your medical history and current therapies to determine if MSC-based regenerative treatment may complement your ongoing Crohn’s care.
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
Stem-cell and regenerative therapies for Crohn’s disease are investigational and not FDA-approved.
Results vary; consult a licensed medical professional before undergoing treatment.
References
- Clinical, immunological, and radiographic improvements after Stem Cell Educator therapy. Int J Mol Sci, 2025.
- MSC therapy for perianal fistulizing Crohn’s: meta-analysis. Stem Cell Res Ther, 2025.
- Umbrella review: safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy for Crohn’s. PubMed Central, 2024.
- Therapeutic potential of UC-MSCs in Crohn’s disease. News-Medical Report, 2024.
St. Petersburg, Florida
