cancer free mice

I read a recent report about a cancer free mouse. This little fellow was discovered accidentally during a trial looking at treatments of human cancer lines. The cancer cells were implanted on a number of test mice, and started growing on all but one mouse. In fact, that mouse was found to be incredibly resistant to cancer. They bred him and found that 40% of his offspring shared the same immunity. In fact, when they transfused other, normal mice with cells from the cancer resistant mice, they were able to confer immunity on the normal mice!

So far, the researchers haven't quite figured out how this is happening. From the sound of it, a single gene mutation may be doing the trick. So if it is, would it be possible to find a similar gene in humans and devise a gene therapy that would confer cancer resistance on everyone?

It sounds just about too good to be true. But if it isn't...