The other evening I watched HBO's program called Vice. It is an investigative news show. I don't know how they came up with the title since it doesn't seem to have actual vice as its subject matter. (Bill Mahrer is an Executive Producer.) Of interest here is their Special Report on Cancer which is the first show of their 3rd season. (I actually missed the debut but was able to view the program with the HBO On Demand feature.)
They were so excited about the cancer news they reported that their conclusions seemed almost risky. A cure was mentioned. Featured was new research in which cancer cells are identified by viruses such as the cold virus, HIV, small pox, rabies and so forth. Historically, there is evidence of cancer remission in people who have had a dog bite and then had to have a series of shots to prevent possible rabies. Apparently such a series introduces live virus into the body. Anecdotally, individuals have then gone into remission from their cancers.
This finding has been followed up, experimentally. A common virus is tweaked so that when injected it has the effect of showing one's immune system's T cells which cells in the body are cancerous. The T cells, natural killers, attack the cancer cells which they now can identify. The T cells don't attack any other cells and the injected viruses don't produce their regular effects, e.g., measles, because of the genetic tweaking.
The program followed several children with leukemia who were dying. Medically, there was no more chemo or radiation they could do. Within a month after virus injection, their cancers were no longer identifiable. One doc took a bone marrow sample from one side of his patient's pelvis and saw no cancer cells, He couldn't believe it, so he took another sample from the other side. Still no cancer cells! These wonderful little bald-headed kids were shown months later with full heads of hair. Marvellous!
For solid tumors they followed two middle-aged guys who were ready to die. Both had brain tumors. Here they showed the brain being exposed, a biopsy taken--to make sure they were getting into tumorous tissue--and then the direct injection of virus (measles if I recall) into the tumor. Weeks later the tumors were not detectable.
This type of treatment is not for the weak of spirit. It produces high fevers (105-106 degrees), nausea, excruciating pain and sometimes coma for up to a week and perhaps longer post injection, so it is quite debilitating as the immune system goes about the business of killing all the cancer. (The treatment viruses are quite potent.)
The FDA is fast tracking all of these viral treatments of cancer because the results are so amazing. One doc thought the procedures would be standard by 2016. The only summary beyond the above case studies I heard was from the doc using the cold virus. He had done 40 patients. 90% were cancer free.
Of course, I hope not to have to find out any of this myself, firsthand. Right now, I am good. But it is wonderfully hopeful for the entire population of cancer patients out there that a general cure may be in sight.
I want now to update myself on any new data in re Mantle cell lymphoma. Just curious...
