Platelet-rich plasma and stem cell-based therapies have shown potential to relieve pain and improve function in patients with degenerative disc disease, but clinical evidence remains inconsistent, according to a review in the fall 2026 issue of Vertebral Columns.
The review was authored by six researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, including Kern Singh, MD, Daniel Park, MD, and Nathan Lee, MD. It found that some studies reported improvements in pain and disability, but larger sham-controlled trials produced conflicting results.
A randomized trial of platelet-rich plasma in 47 patients found improvements in pain, function and satisfaction. A five- to nine-year follow-up found 71% maintained meaningful improvements; the other 29% went on to require surgery. Across the broader literature, aggregate success rates at six months were about 55%, and a 2026 systematic review found the evidence for platelet-rich plasma inconclusive.
In the 114-patient RESPINE trial, 74% of patients receiving mesenchymal stem cells were classified as responders, compared with 69% receiving sham treatment, a statistically insignificant difference.
The authors cited small sample sizes, inconsistent protocols and limited high-quality evidence. They concluded the therapies should be considered investigational options for patients who have exhausted conservative measures, not a substitute for surgery, until larger multicenter randomized trials are completed.
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