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It is both. It's a breakthrough for this SPECIFIC type of cancer, but with similar research into other types of cancers it may be useful with a wide variety of cancers.

This works because they figured out the 'shape of the key' if you will. It is tremendously complex, and takes a great deal of time and a huge depth of knowledge into the specific type of cancer cell they are targeting. They also have to know the specific and detailed attributes of each type of cancer they are targeting. So literally each 'key' is going to be different for each one. But the path they took to get the first one may well be one they can use to get to others! Surely it may work with other. For some it may not be possible.

This works because they figured out how to target the cell, using Telomerase, found the key to get into the cell, and they figured out how to trigger the hormonal reaction inside the cell causing it to eat itself basically. All of these things have to be present for it to work. Each type of cancer cell is going to have different properties, which is what enables the SPECIFIC targeting of that cell and only that cell. You begin to see the problem I think now. It is HUGELY complex. They likely chose this type of cancer because preview research had identified the inherent properties of one thing or another. Research often does this. They call it standing on the shoulders of Giants.

This is the culmination of decades of research by a great many people. Nothing short of miraculous. Can they repeat it? I would bet on it, I just would not bet on WHEN. If and when research comes up with a practical decoder ring for DNA, and specific maps of what each molecule of it does, then you will see this kind of thing just explode. To some degree they can do it now, it's just slow.

With the upcoming, new, "super warp speed" computers coming on line (IBM's Blue) I hope it will help these researchers in their wonderful efforts to fight cancer. It is a very complex fight, and my hat is off to all of them. Dedication and determination are not in short supply for them, and we all owe a great debt of gratitude to their efforts.