Before and After - source: Mayo Clinic

(Best Syndication News) Unexpectedly, two patients suffering from inoperable prostate cancer survived after doctors administered a new treatment followed by surgery. Not only are they surviving, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, they are “cancer free”. The doctors can not detect any cancer in their bodies.

After being diagnosed with inoperable prostate cancer in California, Roger Nelson and his wife traveled back to Minnesota for treatment. Roger was made aware of an experimental therapy. This therapy was thought to be his best option and he opted for it.

Roger was injected with an experimental drug called MDX-010. He was given the drug intravenously (IV) for 3 hour. It was painless. Before the therapy he was given hormones to reduce his testosterone levels.

The removal of testosterone usually shrinks the tumor. Urologist and immunologist Eugene Kwon, M.D. noticed that during ablation of testosterone from the body, prostate tissues are swamped with immune cells — T cells. This is due to either cell injury of death.

After removing testosterone from patients, Kwon and his colleagues found the first off-switch for T cells. It’s called the CTLA-4 (cytotoxiclymphocyte-4) receptor
After a month Mr. Nelson was X-rayed. The radiologist asked if he was receiving radiation therapy. Roger said no. The tumor had shrunk. Later during the surgery stage, cancer tissue was hard to find.

More research needs to be done, but the initial study results do look good. Two patients appear to be cured.

By Dan Wilson