Tests of a potentially revolutionary cancer therapy have had "extraordinary" results on terminally ill patients, scientists have revealed.
In one study, more than nine out of ten participants with a severe form of leukaemia saw their symptoms completely vanish.
Four out of five patients with some other blood cancers responded positively to the treatment and more than half ended up symptom free.
Lead scientist Professor Stanley Riddell, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, US, said the results were among patients who were projected to have two to five months to live.
He said: "This is extraordinary. This is unprecedented in medicine to be honest, to get response rates in this range in these very advanced patients."
The technique involves removing immune cells called T-cells from patients, tagging them with "receptor" molecules that target cancer, and putting them back into the body in an infusion.
The targeting molecules, known as chimeric antigen receptors or Cars, came from specially bred genetically engineered mice.
Once attached to the T-cells, they reduce the ability of the cancer to shield itself from the body's natural immune system.
Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Washington DC, Prof Riddell described the results as a "potential paradigm shift" in cancer treatment.
Much more work was required, he said, adding that it was not clear how long the symptom-free patients would remain in remission.
Prof Riddell hopes to try the therapy on patients suffering from cancers with solid tumours, but said they would present challenges.

source: news.sky.com/story/1642626/extraordinary-cancer-breakthrough-revealed

Wow ! That's a welcome development... I pray Nigerian health sector will get some sense and start researching for potential cure for diseases that's endemic in Africa.

Some piece of good news though medical science only redeem for some time. We need permanent solution to pestilences.

Good news. There are also African herbs for this.

lalasticlala sef