Breakthrough as new breast cancer drug increases remission time and reduces side-effects of chemotherapy

Drug T-DM1 proven to stall the disease longer than current treatments, says NHS Trust Drug block growth of cancer, then destroys cancer cells from within Could be available for sufferers within a few years

By Eddie Wrenn

PUBLISHED: 10:05 EST, 4 June 2012 | UPDATED: 10:05 EST, 4 June 2012

The new treatment uses a two-stage approach to stop cancers growing - and then destroy them from within

Medical experts in the UK have made a major breakthrough in their research to keep breast cancer at bay for longer.

A new drug, which has been tested, has been proven to stall the disease for longer than current treatments, providing fresh hope for patients.

The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle was among a handful of centres across the world to test a new treatment for advanced breast cancer.

Results from the study also show the drug, T-DM1, significantly reduces the side effects of chemotherapy.

While T-DM1 is undergoing further trials, the discovery is being hailed as a major step forward.

Dr Mark Verrill, consultant medical oncologist at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has played a key role in the study, which specifically looked at an advanced form of the disease known as HER2-positive.

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Breakthrough as new breast cancer drug increases remission time and reduces side-effects of chemotherapy