A new treatment for ovarian cancer shrank tumours in about half of the women who participated in the trial.
The small trial showed “promising results” for the treatment of advanced stages of ovarian cancer. The drug is aimed at treating women who have stopped responding to the available treatments.
In 2014, more than 7,000 new cases of ovarian cancer were reported in the UK and about 4,000 women died from the disease.
The small trial was conducted by researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NHS Trust in London. They found out that the drug significantly shrank tumours for almost half of the 15 patients who took the drug.
After attaching to the cancer cell, the drug blocks the action of a key molecule which results in widespread DNA damage and cell death.
Study leader Dr Udai Banerji told BBC: “The beauty of this particular drug is that it is targeted to the cancer cell. This means there are fewer side-effects, making it a kinder treatment for ovarian cancer patients. The researchers hope to carry out bigger clinical trials soon.”
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