Heroic dog beats cancer after revolutionary treatment

He was named ‘Batman’ due to his long, pointy ears.

Now the ten and a half year old shepherd mix may in fact have super hero powers.

How else can you explain that Batman is alive and thriving nearly four months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer?

In truth, his survival is directly credited to a unique medical research team that combines top talent from the University of Minnesota Veterinary school, and the University’s Masonic Cancer Center.

“This has never been done,“ said John Ohlfest, Associate Professor and researcher at the Masonic Cancer Center. “No one has ever combined gene therapy in the brain for a brain tumor with vaccine.“

Immediately after surgery to remove the tumor in August, areas of Batman’s brain were injected with gene therapy.

In the following weeks, the dog received shots of a vaccine grown with his own cancer cells.

At today’s checkup, Batman hopped around the room like a puppy.

His blood work is promising, and M-R-I’s show no regrowth of the tumor.

“He’s definitely back to his old self now, that’s really a miracle,“ remarked owner Anna Brailovsky. “I’m really glad about that.“

The research team is treating another dog with a brain tumor, and hoping to work with others.

If things continue to go well, they could file human clinical protocol plans some time in the coming year.

“We’re gonna push forward. We’re going to write a human clinical protocol, and try to push this forward in people,“