Breast milk is being used to fight cancer after scientists found it contains a “magical” ingredient said to destroy killer cells without harming healthy ones.
Swedish scientists claim trials in patients with bladder cancer have had promising results, and they believe the ingredient – nicknamed Hamlet – could also combat bowel and cervical cancer.
The experts claim Hamlet only attacks cancer cells, so has none of the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy.
Catharina Svanborg, who made the initial discovery, told the Mail on Sunday: “There’s something magical about Hamlet’s ability to target tumor cells and kill them.”
Svanborg said the discovery was an accident discovered while she was looking for new antibiotics.
The immunologist said: “During one experiment we needed human cells and bacteria to be present, and we chose human tumor cells for practical reasons.
“To our amazement, when we added this compound of milk, the tumor cells died. It was a totally serendipitous discovery.”
She said human breast milk contains the protein alpha-lactalbumin, which becomes a cancer-fighting agent once it gets into the stomach.
The researcher at Lund University revealed trials showed bladder cancer patients urinating out the dead tumor cells within days.
Doctors are now planning a full-scale trial pitting Hamlet against a placebo.
It comes after thousands of breast cancer patients in Britain were told they will get a life-extending wonder drug for free.