A team of Australia researchers have been able to boost the cancer attacking activity of immune cells using a natural dietary supplement called MC-S. The treatment appears to slow the progression of breast, bowel, melanoma and prostate cancers. Experts say this study is "significant".

Advanced cancers are a devastating disease for which there is no effective long term treatment and the average life expectancy after diagnosis of the most serious form of the disease, stage four, is around nine months. Though surgery or high doses of chemotherapy drugs are used to treat the cancer, which can reduce the size of tumours they also inhibit the body's natural immune response and cannot prevent the disease recurring. The body's immune system is the only thing that can control cancer cells from taking hold. The immune system that attacks cancer cells is a delicately balanced defence system; the number of cells, which recognise and attack foreign bodies such as tumour cells, are controlled by T-cells, their role is not only to destroy foreign cells, but to also prevent the immune system from turning on its self. National award winning researcher David Clark says, "MC-S could be of great benefit to people inflicted with cancer or an immune deficiency when used in conjunction with mainstream medical treatments". Research has shown that cancer patients using an immunoceutical such as MC-S with conventional medicines have survived longer than the median average life expectancy of a patient with stage three and four cancer and believes that, natural immuno-therapies that stimulate NK and T-cell activity may prove to be useful in all types of cancer treatment.

Experts in this field say this study represents a fundamentally different approach to treating cancer.

Jeremy Dawes is the author of this article on Cancer Research. Find more information about Cancer Treatmenthere.