SANIBEL, Fla. - For most people, a cancer diagnosis can be devastating. But for a part-time Sanibel resident, it was a call to action.

WINK News has been telling you for several months about local inventor John Kanzius and his incredible new cancer treatment. WINK News went to his garage to see first hand where the whole concept started.

Does his machine hold the cure to cancer?

“I don't know if it's the answer we've been looking for but the researchers sure seem to think so, they have called it the greatest find in 20 years of research,” said John Kanzius.

Part-time Sanibel resident John Kanzius is a former radio and TV engineer, and one time station owner, who suffers from Leukemia.

“During my second round of chemotherapy I saw young couples going through the same wrenching side effects of chemotherapy as I was and I thought there has to be a better way to treat cancer," said Kanzius.

He got an idea. Could radio waves somehow be harnessed to destroy cancer? Unable to sleep one night he fired up his ham radio grabbed some of his wife's pots and pans and went to work.

His approach? Inject tiny gold nanoparticles, which would be carried through the blood stream by a targeting molecule and attach only to cancer cells. Radio waves are then used to heat the particles destroying cancer cells while leaving the unmarked healthy cells intact. The patient would feel nothing.

“Right now we have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the process works, that the nanoparticles within the cancer cells release so much heat so quickly that the cancer cells die almost instantaneously," said Kanzius.

In large animal tests all cancer cells died in just 120 seconds, with no side effects.

“Sort of an irony I went through my life retired for 6 months ended up with cancer and the outcome may be a new modality which could change the treatment of cancer forever,” said Kanzius.

Another irony? Kanzius can't cure himself...at least not yet. The injection that targets cancer cells is still being refined by his colleague, Dr. Steven Curley at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“I just can't inject myself with nanoparticles hoping they go to the right spot - they won't. I need the targeting molecule and that is being developed as you and I are talking. For me I think the dye is pretty much cast, I have a terminal disease and I live with that, so...I would like to be alive to see the first person treated and have the doctor say your cancer is gone...that would be enough for me,” said Kanzius.

So far, clinical test in animals have been a huge success and human trials will get underway in the very near future. John Kanzius says if all goes well his treatment may be available to the general public in just 4 to 5 years.

Are their any side effects to being exposed to the radio wave field during the cancer treatment? John Kanzius says no. He says it's no worse for you than having an X-ray...and you can have the treatment anytime you need it.

John Kanzius and Dr. Curley have invited the public to learn more about their research during a presentation Tuesday March 4th, 2008. WINK News is proud to be a part of the event. The auditorium is already full. Trust WINK News to bring you more information from the event.

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UPDATE:
Lee Memorial Health System selected as test site for new cancer treatment. READ MORE