Who would have thought that plants which produce tobacco can become a real help in the fight against cancer? According to the Evening Bulletin, researchers have discovered that the tobacco plant can help cure a specific type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Monday, scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California published a study in a National Academy of Science journal, explaining that tobacco plants can grow antibodies which will fight cancer. The researchers tried to create antibodies for follicular B-cell lymphoma which is thought to have no cure. The “B-cell” helps the body in its fight against bacteria and other pathogens that can lead to diseases.

16 patients with B-cell lymphoma took part in the study and each patient had his own personalized vaccine as individuals have unique cancer antibody. About 70% of the patients had an immune response and 47% of them had the response the scientists were hoping for. Another important fact is that there were limited side effects.

“This would be a way to treat cancer without side effects. The idea is to marshal the body's immune system to fight cancer. We know that if you get the immune system revved up, it can attack and kill cancer,” said Dr. Ronald Levy, senior author of the study, reported the Evening Bulletin.

About 16,000 people or more are diagnosed every year with B-cell lymphoma. The patients are monitored by doctors, but chemotherapy is not used. According to Dr. Ronald Levy, not only cancer patients can benefit from the study.

“There are lots of diseases for which proteins are needed. This vaccine production technology, if proven effective, can also be used for hormone injections, enzyme replacement and to produce monoclonal antibodies,” said Dr. Levy.

Even scientist considered ironic the fact that a plant which is linked to cancer can actually fight cancer.

“It's pretty cool technology, and it's really ironic that you would make a treatment for cancer out of tobacco. That appealed to me, said Dr. Levy.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the tobacco plants and research technology were provided by Large Scale Biology Corp., located in Vacaville, California.