London: Scientists have developed a new drug that can treat the most dangerous type of cancer.
According to a team led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, the drug they invented extended patients’ lives by an average of 1.6 months, with the rate quadrupling over a three-year period.
The drug, which treats the disease by blocking the tumor’s supply of nutrients, is the first of its kind for mesothelioma in 20 years, the researchers said.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs on the edges of the surface of organs, especially the edges of the lungs. This is usually associated with asbestos exposure.
Figures from Cancer Research UK show that there are 2,700 new cases of mesothelioma in the UK each year, with around 2,400 deaths each year. Only two percent of patients survive 10 years after diagnosis.
The new study, led by Professor Pietrzlosarek from Queen Mary University, saw all patients undergo chemotherapy every three weeks for six periods.
Half of the patients were given injections of a new drug called ADI-PEG20, while the other half were given a placebo for two years.
According to the study published in the journal JAMA Oncology, these patients involved in the research were examined for a year. Patients who received the ADI-PEG20 drug and chemotherapy had an average increase in survival of 9.3 months. In comparison, patients who received placebo and chemotherapy had a survival time of 7.7 months.
