In a letter published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology, researchers led by Professor Jean - Philippe Spano, head of the medical oncology department at Pitie - Salpetriere Hospital AP - HP in Paris, France, report that while treating an HIV - infected lung cancer patient with the cancer drug nivolumab, they observed a «drastic and
persistent decrease» in the reservoirs of cells in the body where the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is able to hide away from attack by anti-retroviral therapy.
Treatment that targets the DNA in HIV - infected cells has been challenging because the
persistent, incurable
human immunodeficiency virus is able to insert its own DNA into the DNA of any infected cell while disabling that cell's ability to die to save other cells from a viral invasion.