The word “cure” in the title is ambitious but it may come true or at least create a cancer vaccine.
The toxoplasma gondii is a parasite commonly found in cat feces as the cat is the primary host and because of this people who don’t like cats criticise the cat for spreading this disease to other animals including jeopardising the health of people and typically embryos in pregnant women (see a presentation on its prevention)
That negative publicity for the domestic cat could be turned on its head because researchers at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H have been studying T. gondii’s cancer fighting qualities. This is a turn up for the books. It is something that will infuriate Woody, the notorious internet cat website troll.
Research indicates that the human body responds to the invasion of the T.gondii parasite by creating cells that combat cancer. T. gondii can also help to start up the immune system which is shut down by cancer.
The researchers created a T. gondii mutation which they called “cps” which would not replicate inside the person.
Research on mice indicates that they were able to survive melanoma and ovarian cancer when treated with the mutant T. gondii.
It appears that cps is able to stop the progress of cancer and shrink it. I am amazed by that news.
Clearly there is more research to do but it almost seems prophetic that this news will not only potentially assist many people but also the domestic cat.
It is only justice and fair play because the cat often bears the brunt of unjustified criticism.
This is too cool.
I knew cat poo was a good thing.
There’s plenty of it here.
And, actually, Jimbo-Woody should like this.
Living in Florida poses a huge skin cancer risk.
I volunteer to slather up Jimbo with poo 3 or 4 times a day if need be to save his life.
LOL. We’ll send a truck down to pick up the poo. I am sure it is high grade.