# They say "The enemy of my enemy is my friend", or: HIV virus could kill cancer
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-say-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-or-hiv-virus-could-kill-cancer/289966
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 14, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-say-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-or-hiv-virus-could-kill-cancer/289966 "2005-02-14T04:16:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dr.Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Love)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-say-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-or-hiv-virus-could-kill-cancer/289966/1 "2005-02-14T04:16:29Z")
[BBC Link](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4257783.stm)
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> A University of California team found an “impotent” version of HIV, with the disease-causing parts of it removed, tracked down cancer cells in mice.
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> The next step would be to insert a gene into the virus that would kill the cancer upon contact.
Not mundane or pointless, but it doesn’t seem to belong in any of the other forums.
An interesting technique, I sure hope it works out. Turning out microscopic enemies against each other seems like a brilliant plan. Makes me proud to be human.
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-say-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-or-hiv-virus-could-kill-cancer/289966/2 "2005-02-14T04:43:42Z")
Now all we need is a cancer that kills HIV and we’ll be all set.
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### Author:  [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-say-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-or-hiv-virus-could-kill-cancer/289966/3 "2005-02-14T05:10:49Z")
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> Our approach proves that it is possible to develop an effective carrier and reprogram it to target specific cells in the body.
This is amazing.
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### Author:  [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-say-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-or-hiv-virus-could-kill-cancer/289966/4 "2005-02-14T16:23:54Z")
I’ve wondered about the same thing with Multiple Sclerosis. MS seems to be the bodies immune system attacking specific cells in the brain and spine. I wonder if there could be some combination of HIV and MS that could allow the patient to live in balance.
There is a new test being conducted where they destroy the immune system (with chemotherapy) to get rid of the ‘bad’ immune response and then rebuild it using the test subjects stem cells.