A cancer patient has made a full recovery after being injected with billions of his own immune cells in the first case of its kind, doctors have disclosed.
The 52-year-old, who was suffering from advanced skin cancer, was free from tumours within eight weeks of undergoing the procedure.
After two years he is still free from the disease which had spread to his lymph nodes and one of his lungs.
Doctors took cells from the man's own defence system that were found to attack the cancer cells best, cloned them and injected back into his body, in a process known as "immunotherapy".
Experts said that the case could mark a landmark in the treatment of cancer.
Dr Rosenberg told The Daily Telegraph the new work is an "interesting study that helps to confirm the effectiveness of cell transfer immunotherapy for treating cancer patients. We have now treated 93 patients with metastatic melanoma using their own anti-tumour cells with response rates up to 72 per cent. Mark Origer remains disease free now over three years after treatment."
Immune cell cancer treatment, also known as immunotherapy, is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells. This approach can be used to treat different types of cancer and is often used in combination with other cancer treatments.
Immune cell cancer treatment works by boosting the body's natural immune response to fight cancer cells. There are different types of immune cell cancer treatments, but they all aim to either stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells or improve the body's ability to recognize cancer cells as foreign and attack them.
The types of immune cells involved in cancer treatment depend on the specific type of immunotherapy being used. Some common immune cells used in cancer treatment include T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells.
Like most cancer treatments, immune cell cancer treatment can have side effects. These may include flu-like symptoms, skin reactions, fatigue, and in some cases, more serious side effects. However, these side effects are usually manageable and will vary depending on the specific treatment and individual.
The effectiveness of immune cell cancer treatment depends on various factors, including the type and stage of cancer, the type of immunotherapy used, and the individual's overall health. While it may not be effective for everyone, immunotherapy has shown promising results in treating certain types of cancer and is continuously being researched and improved.