Stem-cell therapy clinic to open in Valley

The new clinic claims its stem-cell treatment can benefit those suffering from emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis and most forms of lung disease.(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Lung Institute, a national clinic that uses adult stem cells extracted from fat and blood to treat pulmonary conditions, is set to open next month in Scottsdale, the for-profit company's first location in the western United States.

The new clinic claims its treatment can benefit those suffering from emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis and most forms of lung disease.

Such stem-cell therapy is part of a growing trend particularly among affluent Americans who can afford it to treat a variety of health problems with cells taken from their own bodies.

The industry remains largely controversial, with plenty of doubters and detractors who say the science is unproven and potentially dangerous.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research, an independent non-profit organization based in Illinois, cautions against the potential risk of some treatments, which it says could cause cancer or result in infection from the procedure itself. The group suggests patients speak with their doctor about the potential benefits or risks of stem-cell therapy.

For its part, Lung Institute says the treatment helps fight lung conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, one of the world's leading killers. Cells extracted from one organ can create healthy tissue in another organ, the company claims.

The therapy is provided as an outpatient service, and patients can have cells drawn, isolated and planted in the affected area all in the same day. The clinic does not use embryonic, umbilical cord or donor stem cells.

Lung Institute, a clinic that uses stem cells to treat pulmonary conditions, is set to open its first West Coast location in Scottsdale in February 2015.(Photo: Courtesy of Lung Institute)

Patients typically visit the clinic for a few hours over three consecutive days. The treatment seeks to slow disease progression, calm inflammation or repair damaged tissue.

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Stem-cell therapy clinic to open in Valley