Utah Docs Beating Deadly Skin Cancer

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – July 1, 2015 – Gephardt Daily

There is a developing story coming from the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, where researchers appear to be on the cusp of curing melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.

According to Huntsman researchers, a new protocol developing in clinical trials which allows doctors to inject a mutated cold and herpes virus directly into skin lesions caused by melanoma, stopping the cancer in its tracks.

Dr. Robert Andtbacka, one of Huntsman’s leading oncologists, says the revolutionary new treatment actually teaches the body to heal itself.

“The altered cold and herpes virus activates the immune system to fight melanoma,” Dr. Andtbacka said, “not only where the cells are injected, but also at distant sites. So, it educates the patient’s immune system to kill any melanoma cells that may be elsewhere in the body.”

Another amazing aspect of the new treatment is it’s also free of the often devastating side effects caused by conventional chemotherapy. Patients no longer lose their hair or find themselves overwhelmed by nausea and chronic fatigue.

Farr West, Utah resident, Larry Hegland, age 67, was battling an advanced stage of melanoma when he entered the clinical trial. He said his body was racked with pain, both from the cancer and chemotherapy and had just about given up hope.

“It’s a miracle as far as I’m concerned, because I thought I was dying – and I was. They saved my life,” said Hegland.

The new cancer fighting protocol was refined at the Huntsman Cancer Institute over the last couple of years. Researchers say currently, sixty percent of those receiving the new treatment have seen dramatic reversals in their conditions, Many of those very same patients have now been declared cancer free. Doctors believe as the process is refined, they may eradicate melanoma altogether.

Every year ten thousand Americans succumb to melanoma.

To see Gephardt Daily’s entire interview with cured melanoma patient Larry Hegland, click on the following picture:

To see the entire one-on-one interview with Huntsman Cancer Institute’s oncologist Dr. Robert Andtbacka, click this photo:

You can find more stories like this from Bill Gephardt Monday, Wednesday and Friday on KSL or go to KSL.com to read more.

