Breakthrough!

Since the discovery of the damaging effects of emphysema, there has never been any hope for a cure offered to its sufferers. That is until now. Recently, two researchers, Dr. Gloria Massaro and Dr. Donald Massaro have made a major breakthrough in the research lab that offers hope of a cure. These two innovative scientists have been able to reverse induced emphysema in laboratory animals by treatment with retinoic acid.

The two researchers, both on the faculty of Georgetown University Medical Center are Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute Senior Fellows, working with scientists in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Their research deals with lung tissue regeneration. They have been able to induce regeneration of damaged lung tissue in research animals, thus opening an entire new field of research into the use of this class of compound to treat or even cure COPD, emphysema, neonatal lung disease, and other conditions which rob both children and adults of normal respiratory functioning.

Until now, over 17,000 people per year die of lung disease. Overall the disease causes seriously disabling conditions in over 2,000,000 people in the United States alone. Emphysema, usually induced by cigarette smoking, is a gradual killer. It advances slowly, from a simple problem of shortness of breath on exertion, through various stages until finally normal daily activities are impacted and in many cases, the final result is death.

Currently, there are no treatments which can reverse the damage to the alveoli or cause them to regenerate. Once lost, the damage is permanent. While it technically is not a reversal, lung transplantation is the only treatment which is feasible. This is extremely limited due to the limited number of lungs available for transplant. For many patients, even if a lung were available, the treatment is too risky to be undertaken. Lungs which have suffered years of abuse by smoking, can contribute to other conditions, which makes the surgical procedures impractical.

Now, due to the efforts of these two scientists, the possibility of a cure appears to be on the horizon. As their research becomes more well known, other scientists will take up the cause, and the efforts to find a permanent cure for emphysema will begin to snowball. More researchers equals more research. More research equals more opportunity for a cure. The formula is simple. The research findings are encouraging. Now, it appears to be a question of time and money for your doctor to finally say, "Yes, you have emphysema, BUT, with a few weeks of treatment, we can reverse the damage and bring you back to good health." That sure sounds better to me than the words I heard when I received my diagnosis.

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