Cancer is pretty much the biggest killer in the Western world, and so it comes at a fantastic surprise that it looks like scientists might have cracked the code with regards to a cure.

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Danish researchers were looking for a way to protect pregnant women against malaria, which can cause huge issues with regards to the pregnancy. However, they inadvertently discovered that armed malaria proteins can attack cancer – an approach which they reckon could be a huge step towards curing the disease overall. Hoo-fucking-ray.

In the study, the scientists found that the malaria protein in the vaccine attaches itself to the same carbohydrate. This carb ensures that the placenta grows quickly, but the team behind the new findings have also detailed how it serves the same function in tumours and the malaria parasite attaches itself to the cancerous cells in the same way, meaning it can kill them off.

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Ali Salanti from University of Copenhagen said:

For decades, scientists have been searching for similarities between the growth of a placenta and a tumour.

The placenta is an organ, which within a few months grows from only few cells into an organ weighing approx. two pounds, and it provides the embryo with oxygen and nourishment in a relatively foreign environment. In a manner of speaking, tumors do much the same, they grow aggressively in a relatively foreign environment.

Although this has only just been tested on mice, scientists are hoping to test this on humans within the next four years. Imagine that – if we were close to finding a cure for cancer in less than a decade? That would simply be incredible – fingers crossed it happens.

For more miraculous studies, check out this one which might’ve just found a cure for period pains.