Vaidehi Bhargava
Beata Halassy, a prominent virologist at the University of Zagreb, gained worldwide attention after treating her own stage 3 recurrent breast cancer with an experimental oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) vaccine. Diagnosed with a recurrence in 2020, she chose to bypass chemotherapy, instead developing a treatment based on the Edmonston-Zagreb strain of the measles virus and the Indiana strain of vesicular stomatitis virus, both intended to attack the tumor cells while stimulating her immune system. Over the following months, the experimental treatment led to significant tumor shrinkage, allowing for successful surgical removal. She has remained cancer-free since the surgery, now four years later.
OVT, which has shown potential in shrinking advanced tumors, generally involves the use of modified viruses to target and destroy cancer cells selectively. Although Halassy’s success is a single case study, it has sparked interest in this therapy’s potential as a neoadjuvant (pre-surgical) treatment in cancer care. Her results showed an increase in immune cell infiltration in the tumor, which might make OVT a viable, less toxic alternative to traditional therapies. Her case report, published in the journal Vaccines, highlights the benefits of OVT with minimal side effects, though it’s acknowledged as experimental and not universally applicable.
Her decision to self-administer the treatment raises complex ethical questions, particularly around self-experimentation and regulatory oversight. While her success has inspired some to consider the potential of virotherapy, experts like Blair Strang from St George’s University have pointed out that controlled trials and ethical guidelines are essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of such approaches for broader use. This instance of self-treatment, though pioneering, reminds the medical community of the importance of rigorous trials and regulatory checks before broader application.