HITV CANCER THERAPY AVAILABLE NOW IN MALAYSIA

HITV Therapy: Cancer Cure Is Now In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- There is a new hope for cancer patients in Malaysia.

A vaccine widely known for treating late-stage cancer -- almost all types of cancer, except leukemia -- is now available in the country.

The Human Initiated Therapeutic Vaccine (HITV), which was only available in Japan previously, is able to completely destroy microscopic and tiny nests of cancer cells, thus preventing any future recurrences.

Discovered in 2005 by Dr Kenichiro Hasumi, a Japanese physician and researcher, HITV is an autologus (patient derived) active cell-based immunotherapy for metastatic or late-stage cancer patients.

It is based on immunology that harnesses human immune system's innate and adaptive ability to combat diseases.

Dr Hasumi, founder and chairman of Hasumi International Research Foundation in the United States, has dedicated more than 40 years of his life to find a cure to cancer.

Speaking at a media conference Monday, Dr Hasumi said the therapy was highly effective for patients suffering from late-stage cancer, when used in combination with radiotherapy.

"The use of tomotherapy (a type of radiation therapy) is important in this protocol. It can target the tumors precisely in one sweep, while reducing the radiation exposure to the surrounding tissues," he said.

The treatment includes harvesting immune cells from the patient, culturing them in the laboratory to become immature dentritic cells, and then re-introducing them into the patient's body, through injection into the tumor.

HITV course takes about three weeks, with 10 days of actual treatment. Patients will have to be examined with PET-CT scan after the treatment periodically, to monitor the tumors for regression.

While the treatment was only available in Japan, nine Malaysians suffering late stage of various types of cancer have decided to give it a try. Five of them have shown complete response.

They include Goh Sai Wah, 58, a non-smoker who was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer with extensive spread to the spine and bone in May, last year.

She underwent the HITV therapy in Japan on Oct 30, last year and in her follow-up check, six weeks later, almost all cancer cells had disappeared.

Now, 365 days later, and counting, she is very much alive and well.

Dr Hasumi said, since late stage cancer was a very difficult stage to cure, he hoped that in future, there would be innovations to cure cancer in the early stages.

HITV therapy costs about RM200,000, if patients decide to have it in Japan. In Malaysia, it will cost about RM150,000.

The therapy is now available at the Mahameru International Medical Centre but medical practitioners are trying their very best to introduce HITV to all hospitals in the Klang Valley, in an effort to give late-stage cancer patients a new hope in life.

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Terapi HITV: Penawar Kanser Tahap Lewat Kini Terdapat Di Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Okt (Bernama) -- Terdapat harapan baru untuk pesakit kanser di Malaysia.

Sebuah vaksin yang terkenal bagi merawat kanser tahap lewat -- hampir semua jenis kanser kecuali leukemia -- kini diperolehi di negara ini.

Vaksin Human Initiated Therapeutic Vaccine (HITV), yang hanya didapati di Jepun sebelum ini, mampu memusnahkan sarang sel mikroskop dan kecil, sekali gus mencegah sebarang serangan kanser berulang.

Vaksin tersebut ditemui pada 2005 oleh pakar perubatan dan penyelidik Jepun, Dr Kenichiro Hasumi dan HITV merupakan imunoterapi yang menghasilkan sel aktif pesakit sendiri bagi metastatik atau pesakit tahap lewat kanser.

Ia berdasarkan imunologi yang dihasilkan secara semula jadi oleh sistem keimunan manusia dan kemampuan mudah suai bagi memerangi penyakit.

Dr Hasumi, pengasas dan pengerusi Yayasan Penyelidikan Antarabangsa Hasumi di Amerika Syarikat, telah mengabdikan lebih 40 tahun hidupnya untuk mencari penawar kepada penyakit kanser.

Bercakap pada sidang media di sini, Dr Hasumi berkata terapi itu bersama kombinasi radioterapi amat berkesan bagi pesakit yang menderita kanser tahap lewat.

"Penggunaan TomoTherapy (sejenis terapi radiasi) adalah penting dalam protokol ini. Ia boleh mensasar dengan tepat kanser tumor dalam satu sapuan manakala mengurangkan pendedahan radiasi kepada tisu-tisu sekitarnya," katanya.

Rawatan itu termasuk tuaian sel imun dari pesakit, mengkulturnya dalam makmal supaya menjadi sel dendrit, sel yang mempunyai cabang-cabang unjuran badan sel dan kemudian memasukkan semula ke badan pesakit menerusi suntikan ke dalam tumor.

Rawatan HITV mengambil masa kira-kira tiga minggu dengan 10 hari daripadanya merupakan rawatan sebenar.

Selepas rawatan itu, pesakit berkenaan kemudian diperiksa dengan imbasan PET-CT secara berskala bagi memantau rosot kembali kanser.

Ketika rawatan itu hanya diperolehi di Jepun, seramai sembilan pesakit Malaysia yang menderita kanser tahap lewat pelbagai jenis kanser mengambil keputusan untuk mencuba rawatan itu.

Lima daripada mereka telah menunjukkan tanda-tanda pemulihan sepenuhnya.

Mereka termasuk Goh Sai Wah, 58, seorang bukan perokok yang dikesan menghadapi kanser paru-paru tahap lewat dengan merebak ke bahagian tulang belakang dan tulang pada Mei tahun lepas.

Beliau menjalani terapi HITV di Jepun pada 30 Okt tahun lepas dan dalam pemeriksaan susulan enam minggu kemudian, hampir kesemua sel kanser telah hilang.

Kini, selepas 365 hari kemudian, wanita itu masih hidup dan sihat.

Dr Hasumi berkata oleh kerana kanser tahap lewat adalah tahap yang amat sukar untuk dipulihkan, beliau berharap pada masa depan, terdapat inovasi untuk menyembuhkan kanser tahap awal.

Rawatan terapi HITV di Jepun memerlukan kos kira-kira RM200,000 dan sekiranya di Malaysia, ia hanya memerlukan perbelanjaan sebanyak RM150,000.

Rawatan terapi itu kini diperolehi di Pusat Perubatan Antarabangsa Mahameru tetapi pengamal perubatan kini sedang rancak mencuba untuk memperkenalkan HITV di semua hospital di Lembah Klang dalam usaha memberi harapan baru kepada pesakit kanser tahap lewat.