In a story that pushes the boundaries of science and ethics, virologist Beata Halassy chose to treat her recurrent breast cancer by injecting the tumor with lab-grown viruses.
When Halassy, a scientist at the University of Zagreb, discovered her second recurrence of breast cancer in 2020, she faced a daunting choice. Unwilling to undergo chemotherapy again, she delved into medical literature and opted for an experimental, unproven approach: oncolytic virotherapy (OVT). This treatment, which uses viruses to attack cancer cells and stimulate immune responses, is still under clinical investigation and has only been approved for certain cancers, such as metastatic melanoma, but not breast cancer.
Armed with her background in virology, Halassy tailored her treatment plan with two viruses known for their safety profiles in humans—a measles virus and a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Over two months, she injected these viruses into her tumor, with the support of her oncologists who monitored her closely. The tumor began to shrink and detach from surrounding tissues, allowing for successful surgical removal. Post-surgery, Halassy received a year-long course of the anticancer drug trastuzumab.
The results, published in Vaccines, show an immune response marked by lymphocyte infiltration in the tumor tissue, suggesting that her immune system had been effectively mobilized against the cancerous cells. Halassy’s treatment experience has since inspired her to direct her research toward oncolytic virotherapy applications for animals, potentially paving the way for further therapeutic developments.
Halassy acknowledges the unique risks and ethical implications of self-experimentation, saying, “It took a brave editor to publish the report,” referencing the hesitation of journals due to ethical concerns. Despite receiving over a dozen rejections, she was determined to contribute her findings to scientific knowledge.
Stephen Russell, an oncolytic virotherapy expert, noted that while Halassy’s case is promising, it doesn’t represent a significant leap for the field, as OVT is already under study for earlier-stage cancers. He remarked, “The novelty here is, she did it to herself with a virus that she grew in her own lab.”
The ethical complexities of Halassy’s decision have stirred up discussion in the medical community. Jacob Sherkow, a researcher in law and medicine, pointed out the potential risks, explaining that sharing her experience might inspire others to abandon proven treatments in favor of untested methods. He emphasizes that while Halassy’s choice could be deemed ethical due to her scientific expertise, it remains a “not a slam-dunk case.” Sherkow suggests that publishing her findings could have benefitted from an accompanying commentary on the ethics of self-experimentation in life-threatening conditions.
Despite the ethical controversy, Halassy remains confident in her choice. Her experience, however, has left a lasting impact on her scientific career, leading her to secure funding for further research into OVT in animals.
