HIV could be used as treatment for cancer

 

An American man beat a form of deadly cancer by infecting himself with HIV, doctors in Pennsylvania said. 29-year-old Marshall Jensen of Utah, fought an aggressive form of leukemia with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

 

Jensen of Woods Cross, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, several years ago. During the past three years, Jensen and his family have traveled around the U.S., trying various surgeries and treatments for his leukemia. 

 

According to the Independant, at some point, Jensen met with Dr. Carl June and his team of researchers at Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Their treatment involved a disabled version of the HIV virus, which retains an essential feature, the ability to insert new genes into cells.

 

The cells are altered to target and destroy cancer cells. 9 of the 12 patients who received this treatment against other types of cancer, are also in remission.

 

The link between leukemia and HIV goes back to 2006, when Timothy Brown, an HIV-positive patient was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.  His case caused a revolution in research that focused on using the immune system to kill cancer cells.