HIV and cancer sufferers both struggle to rid themselves of their condition Boosting cancer patients' immune systems can significantly reduce tumours Such drugs may reawaken HIV-infected cells that lie dormant away from therapy The conditions are similar in how cells multiply and the molecules they express Yet, some argue they have vast differences and cannot be treated the same way Cancer treatments may hold a cure for HIV, new research suggests. Both HIV and cancer sufferers struggle to rid themselves of their condition, however, boosting the latter patients' immune systems can significantly reduce their tumours. It is hoped that a similar treatment could clear HIV sufferers of the virus. Such drugs may also activate HIV that lies dormant in a patient's cells, which is the biggest obstacle to curing sufferers as current drugs are unable to detect 'hidden' forms of the virus. Yet, some experts argue that HIV and cancer are vastly different, and success in one does not guarantee similar outcomes in the other. Cancer treatments may hold a cure for HIV by boosting the immune system, research suggests DRUG COCKTAIL COULD SAVE 10,000 HIV DEATHS A YEAR A combination of low-cost drugs designed to prevent infections among people who are starting HIV treatment late could save 10,000 lives a year across sub-Saharan, UCL scientists believe. About one in five people infected with HIV in poorer countries start treatment later than is recommended. This causes them to have a low number of specific immune cells, leaving them more vulnerable to serious illnesses. The researchers estimate that if the drugs were given to every patient in sub-Saharan Africa starting anti-HIV treatment and suffering from a low immune cell count, they could prevent around 10,000 deaths each year, The Guardian reported. 'There are a lot of parallels' Experts claim that cancerous cells and those infected with HIV multiply in a similar way. They also both express the same molecules. This leads experts to believe that certain cancer therapies, known as checkpoint inhibitors, could successfully treat HIV. Professor Sharon Lewin, director of The Peter Doherty Institu 32te for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, said: 'There are a lot of parallels… I think it's huge,' the BBC reported. Checkpoint inhibitors support the immune system in its fight against cancer after proteins on tumours 'turn it off'. Such drugs may also activate HIV that lies dormant in cells, which may allow the virus to be killed by the immune system. Current drugs, as well as the immune system, fail to recognise dormant HIV. 'HIV is so different' Yet, some argue there is little evidence cancer drugs have any effect on HIV. Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said: 'We have to be careful we don't assume that things that work in cancer are going to work in HIV. 'HIV is so different, that even though it's worth exploring, I wouldn't want people to think this is going to be equally successful in HIV.' This comes after researchers from multiple institutions, including Texas A&M University, found that injecting cows with HIV causes the animals to develop an immune response in as little as 35 days. They hope that such immune cells could be incorporated into an injection to neutralize HIV in infected humans. Source
