It has long been known that viruses can weaken cancer cells but previous attempts to apply this knowledge to help cancer patients left them with only a short term recovery and in many cases, these cancer sufferers actually died as a result of the potency of the virus that was administered into their system rather than the cancer itself.
Scientists have since been trying to make weaker viruses that do not cause damage to healthy cells but that are strong enough to fight cancer cells and a few of such viruses are presently in trial. The herpes 1 virus is one example and is currently in advanced trials for patients with a melanoma. One earlier trial has so far revealed a 26% rate of recovery and survival among patients. Another virus has doubled survival rates from 7 moths to 14 months.
Although these viruses come with symptoms, they are far less intrusive than side effects associated with chemotherapy. Flu-like symptoms will often accompany the herpes virus but these tend to be very manageable.
So far it has been difficult to convince a majority working within the medical field this idea is not preposterous however slowly but surely the research is winning people over and we could be looking at a potential treatment for cancer that has fewer side effects than chemotherapy. This is early days but it is always interesting to learn of innovative medical techniques that deal with diseases that affect a large proportion of the population at some point in their lives. Further details can be read here.