A pioneering cell therapy for advanced liver disease has been hailed as a 'godsend' by a Scottish woman who underwent the treatment ten years ago and has since avoided a liver transplant.
Patient's Story
Sandra Watson, 61, from West Lothian, was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) two decades ago. The condition causes chronic itching and can lead to liver failure if untreated. In October 2016, she participated in a trial of a novel cell therapy and has remained transplant-free ever since.
'Although I'm not cured, taking part in the trial has given me so much more freedom,' Ms Watson said. 'I used to have a dreadful itch caused by the condition and would wake up bleeding from scratching during the night. It's been 10 years since I received the treatment and I still haven't experienced the itch or had a bout of jaundice, which is a godsend.'
Diagnosis and Trial
Ms Watson first noticed symptoms at age 39, including lethargy, an 'annoying' itch, and night sweats while working in hospitality. After hospital tests, she was diagnosed with PBC. 'It was quite alarming and felt like I had just been given a death sentence,' she recalled.
For years, she attended outpatient appointments every six months for blood tests and scans. 'My bloods were quite unstable, I had bouts of jaundice and still the dreaded itch,' she said. In 2016, doctors invited her to join a cell therapy trial.
The experimental treatment involves extracting immune cells from the patient's blood, converting them into mature macrophages—white blood cells that engulf damaged or infected cells—and reinjecting them into the patient.
'I was a bit dubious about it, but thought surely it can't make me feel any worse than I feel now,' Ms Watson said. After the therapy, she noticed the itch subsided and stopped taking medication for it. 'The dreadful itch had disappeared.'
Long-Term Results
Now, 22 years after her initial diagnosis, Ms Watson continues to have six-monthly scans and blood tests. 'My bloods are still quite high, but they are stable and show no deterioration,' she said. 'I'm so grateful to have been able to take part in the trial and hope that one day the treatment might be available for others like me.'
