Beata Halassy, a virologist at the University of Zagreb, successfully treated her own breast cancer by injecting tumours with lab-grown viruses. In 2020, at age 49, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in the site of a previous mastectomy. Due to past recurrences and a desire for alternative treatments, Halassy decided to self-experiment with oncolytic virotherapy (OVT), an emerging field of cancer treatment using viruses.
Halassy chose two different viruses: measles and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). She had previous experience working with both viruses and believed they could effectively target her tumour. Over a two-month period, she self-administered the treatment, which involved injecting research-grade material into her tumour. Her oncologists monitored her during this time.
The results were promising: the tumour shrank substantially, became softer, detached from surrounding tissue, and was easily removed surgically. Analysis of the tumour revealed a strong immune response, indicating that OVT had worked as expected. Halassy received additional treatment with the anticancer drug trastuzumab after surgery.
While some experts praise Halassy’s decision to self-experiment, others raise concerns about ethics. Jacob Sherkow, a law and medicine researcher, notes that while Halassy’s results are promising, publishing her findings could encourage others to reject conventional treatment. However, he also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that knowledge gained from self-experimentation isn’t lost.
Halassy remains undeterred and is now directing her research towards investigating OVT for cancer treatment in domestic animals. Her experience has given her laboratory a new direction, and she believes it’s unlikely others will attempt to replicate her treatment due to its scientific complexity.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03647-0