It's feels better when you hear this on the radio. The full transcript and audio file are available here. Charles Osgood has such a soothing voice
FIGHTING CANCER WITH MEASLES.
(transcript excerpts)
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic are starting a second round of human clinical trials to see if massive doses of measles virus can attack and eradicate cancer.
In the first round, Stacy Erholtz - who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2004, and treated with everything from chemotherapy to stem cell transplants to no avail - was given huge doses of the modified measles virus, and today is cancer-free ...
SOT - Dr. Stephen Russell, professor of molecular medicine at the Mayo Clinic
"This particular form of cancer, multiple myeloma, is associated with loss of the antibodies against that viral infections you've previously had. Many of the patients who have myeloma who've run out of options - they have no detectable measles antibody in their blood." (:16)
With no antibodies in her body, Dr. Russell figured that his weaponized measles virus could target and kill the cancer cells for Stacy without killing her ...
SOT - Dr. Stephen Russell
"Over the next few weeks, everything disappeared. Couldn't find any myeloma in her bone marrow. The repeat Pet CT scans over the next few months gradually became fainter and fainter until we couldn't see anything." (:13)
SOT - Stacy Ehrholtz
"Six months later, I am clean and clear. No sign of cancer." (:03)
With the second round of human trials under way, Dr. Russell thinks engineered viruses will eventually be the way all types of cancers will be treated.
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