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.

Source

What if your own immune system could fight cancer? Scientists in Hong Kong are currently trying to make this type of treatment a reality, by training patient's white blood cells to treat their nose and throat cancer.

While the science is undoubtedly complicated, the idea is fairly straightforward. Scientist plan to extract blood from cancer patients, take it a lab, and teach the white blood cells, or T-cells to fight cancer. Once trained, they'll put the cells back in the patient's body, with the hopes that they'll remember what to do, while also instructing the body's other T-cells to follow suit.

Nose cancer in particular has been targeted because contracted it is often linked to a virus called Epstein-Barr virus. If the procedure is successful, scientists hope to apply the theory to other virus-related cancers, such as liver cancer, which is linked to hepatitis B.

Source