Doctors use immune therapy against cervical cancer; 2 of 9 women see tumors disappear

CHICAGO – Doctors are reporting their first success using immune therapy against cervical cancer, a disease caused by the virus HPV.

In a pilot study at the National Cancer Institute, the tumors of two out of nine women completely disappeared and those women have stayed cancer-free for more than a year so far.

Researchers have made great strides recently in the hunt for ways to boost the body’s natural ability to fight cancer. The cervical cancer treatment involves sampling a woman’s tumour, isolating special immune system cells that were attacking it, multiplying them in the lab and giving them back to the patient in a one-time infusion.

Results were reported Monday at a cancer conference in Chicago.