--- title: "Virus Modified to Kill Cancer Cells Appears to Have Saved a Patient’s Life" description: "Scientists in the UK conducted a trial of an experimental cancer therapy that uses the cold sore virus to make cancer cells explode." date: "2022-09-25" modified: "2022-09-29" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/virus-modified-kill-cancer-cells" categories: - "Cancer" - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" tags: - "cancer" - "cancer treatment" - "tumors" --- # Virus Modified to Kill Cancer Cells Appears to Have Saved a Patient’s Life ![Scientists in the UK conducted a trial of an experimental cancer therapy that uses the cold sore virus to make cancer cells explode.]() *\Image: Getty/Futurism\* Cancers and viruses: why not pit two of our biggest biological foes against each other? Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust used a drug made from a genetically modified form of herpes simplex — the cold sore virus — to attack tumors in cancer patients' bodies, developing a cutting-edge form of cancer therapy in the process. While experts caution that more follow up studies will be needed, the treatment has seemingly already saved the life of at least one patient, [according to *BBC News*](). That patient, Krzysztof Wojkowski from West London, underwent the experimental therapy after he received a diagnosis of salivary gland cancer in 2017. "I was told there was no options left for me and I was receiving end-of-life care," he told the *BBC*. "It was devastating, so it was incredible to be given the chance to join the trial." Many experimental treatments fail. But this one appears to have been the exception, at least for now — which is extraordinary news for Wojnowski, and just may help blaze a trail to help others as well. "I had injections every two weeks for five weeks which completely eradicated my cancer," Wojnowski told the *BBC*. "I've been cancer-free for two years now." The virus injections, known as RP2, are administered directly into the tumor. How it works, in simple terms, is by invading cancer cells and causing them to burst, the *BBC* reports, where the immune system is also activated to help finish the job. All in all, of the 40 total patients participating in the trial, three out of nine that received only the RP2 injection had their tumors shrink, while seven out of 30 who received a combined treatment of RP2 of another cancer drug nivolamb also similarly benefitted. The researchers presented these findings at the [ESMO Congress]() medical conference in Paris last week. "It is rare to see such good response rates in early stage clinical trials, as their primary aim is to test treatment safety, and they involve patients with very advanced cancers for whom current treatments have stopped working," said project lead researcher Kevin Harrington to the *BBC*. Using viruses to treat cancer [isn’t new](), but such promising — and lifesaving — results, even in a trial this small in scale, is something to be excited about. **More on cancer:** *[New Treatment Turns Cancer Genes Into "Eat Me" Signs For Immune System]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()