Thanks everyone for joining me again on another #FACTUAL FRIDAY! Now, those of you who know me, know I really get excited about new developments on the science front and breakthroughs in cancer research. And, I’ve got a great one for you today!
To begin, one of the most aggressive and common cancers affecting individuals today is known as glioblastoma. This is a brain tumor that to date has been very difficult to treat and overcome. Many patients diagnosed with this type of cancer are not expected to live more than a year or two after receiving their diagnosis. And, this is a topic close to my heart as a long-time friend of mine was diagnosed with this disease a year ago this month.
A recent study, however, promises new hope for treating this disease — and it comes in the form of a tetanus shot!! Now, most of us know that tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is an infection characterized by muscle spasms — the most common of which begin in the jaw. This infection is caused by clostridium tetani – a bacteria that enters the body through a wound or cut in the skin. Fortunately, vaccines for tetanus are commonplace and routinely recommended for both children and adults.
In this ground-breaking study, patients with glioblastoma underwent the typical treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy — AND THEN received an ordinary tetanus-diphtheria shot. Simply put, this strategy known as a dendritic-cell vaccine — teams the tetanus shot with the patient’s own blood cells to super-charge the body’s immune system. The results were clearly positive, especially for patients who received a second mini-dose of tetanus vaccine. Indeed, four survived two years, one survived five years, one survived six years — and another is now approaching nine years!! And this is for a cancer for which the survival rate can be less than one year!!
Of course, these results need to be substantiated by additional studies and research. But for now, let’s offer a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to all who initiated and participated in this significant accomplishment!! And this post — dear Bob — is for you!!
Thanks everyone! And until next time,
TAKE THE COURSE AND TAKE CHARGE!
Please read more in Forbes here
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