Researchers at the University of Calgary are looking at using a virus to treat a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma, which accounts for about 10 per cent of all blood cancer cases.

Dr. Don Morris and his team are studying the virus that targets the cancer cells and kills them.

He said tests done on animals so far are showing promising results.

Dr. Don Morris and his team are looking at the use of a virus to fight a type of blood cancer. (CBC)

"Cancers by and large have to go through a certain set of changes to make them cancerous to ignore their usual signals to stop growing and not to invade," said Morris.

"And some of those signals that have changed actually are permissive to allowing the virus to ... replicate and kill the tumour cell."

Morris says the virus being tested is commonly found in stagnant water and he hopes his findings will lay the foundation for a clinical trial.

More than 2,000 Canadians are diagnosed with multiple myeloma every year.

Back in 2010, Morris also led a group of researchers in a new viral approach to treating prostate cancer in a small number of men.