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New Hyde Park, New York - August 11, 2011

Dick Hanson was diagnosed six years ago with a form of leukemia called CLL. It's a deadly blood cancer that usually kills within 10 years.

"I've learned to carry on with life even though I have to watch things very carefully," Hanson said.

Now there's encouraging news for CLL patients like Hanson. Researchers have developed a potential breakthrough treatment that uses the body's own immune system to kill cancer tumors.

"It is a major step forward in the control of this dreadful disease," said Dr. Kanti Rai, of North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania pulled T cells out of three leukemia patients, then genetically modified them, adding healthy antibodies. When the cells were injected back into the patients the results were dramatic. Within two weeks the modified T cells multiplied, hunting down and killing cancer cells.

"Each T cell that we infused on average killed more than 1,000 tumor cells in all three patients," said Dr. Carl June, of the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center.

All three patients improved significantly and in two patients there is no longer any evidence of CLL.

Researchers plan to start testing the treatment on other forms of leukemia and they believe it may one day be used on other types of cancer.

"If that treatment can be made available to anyone who would need it, that would be incredible," Hanson said.

Doctors say widespread use of this treatment is still years away, but it is giving leukemia patients like Hanson new hope.

Genetically modifying the T cells is a long and expensive process and there are side effects. Patients in the study suffered from intense flu-like symptoms.

CBS News