An experimental cancer treatment has proved successful for one man. The patient had advanced skin cancer which had spread to his lungs and a lymph node. Previously, the cancer hadn't responded to other treatments. So what was this experimental treatment? Well, essentially the patient healed himself.

In the study, patients' t-cells (white blood cells which promote immunity) were harvested and multiplied before being re-administered to the patient. After treatment, the patient went in to complete remission and remained in remission for two years.

Other patients in the study, who received smaller or greater amounts of cloned t-cells, either had no response to the treatment or only a limited response. Doctors aren't yet sure what variable caused this particular patient to respond so favorably. While further research is needed, this limited success gives doctors hope that they are heading in the right direction.

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Peanut allergies may soon be a thing of the past, says Dr. Wesley Burks, a food allergy expert at Duke University Medical Center.

"I think there's some type of immunotherapy that will be available in five years," reports Burks who says ideally, this therapy would change a person's immune system response to peanuts from an allergic one to a nonallergic one.

This would be great stuff, given that peanut allergies are growing more and more common. And while many kids grow out of other food allergies -- milk and eggs, for example -- only 20 percent ever lose their peanut allergy, which often appears in the first three years of life and manifests itself in range of symptoms, from minor irritation to the whole-body allergic response called anaphylaxis.

Stay tuned for more on peanut immunotherapy. And be on the lookout for news on the genetic engineering front. Burks says genetics may one day produce an allergen-free peanut.

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My allergist finally won me over, and this month I started allergy shots to control my asthma. It wasn't an easy decision. Allergy shots are a huge commitment -- once or twice a week for three months, once a month for up to five years. It wasn't a decision I took lightly and I spent weeks on the web looking for research to help me understand the issue. I found that early research that studied the link between immunotherapy and allergic asthma wasn't always conclusive, but that more recently the AAAAI has determined that allergy shots can reduce symptoms and the need for medication. Relief of symptoms isn't a sure thing, but I'm hopeful that they'll help me.

Not everyone who has allergies or allergic asthma needs allergy shots, but if you have trouble controlling your symptoms even with proper dosage of medication, have year-round allergies to things that are hard to avoid, or have a child with allergic rhinitis, it's worth discussing immunotherapy with your doctor.

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Despite being a pet owner (including cats) since childhood, a recent allergy test revealed that I am now allergic to cats. Wonderful. Surprisingly, my allergist didn't recommend that I get rid of any pets (not that I would have anyway), but he did recommend allergy shots, which I'm taking under consideration.

Cat allergies are especially hard to deal with because cat dander is small and sticky, and getting rid of a pet doesn't address allergic symptoms that may happen outside of the home. New research suggests, however, that an immunity to cat dander can be built up through a new procedure called sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Like allergy shots, SLIT gradually builds up a person's immunity to an allergen until the immune system learns to handle allergy triggers. The procedure involves putting small amounts of the allergen under the tongue, where it is absorbed by the body. In trials, the procedure reduced allergy symptoms by 67%.

The study was carried out in children, and as a parent I can see why this procedure would be preferred over shots, which can be painful. If you have a cat allergy, check out this website to learn more about natural ways to reduce your allergy symptoms at home.

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