‘Hunt & destroy cancer cells’ in prostate battle

Targeted radiotherapy is new treatment hope

A PIONEERING treatment which can “search and destroy” cancer cells offers hope to thousands of patients.

The targeted radiotherapy can tackle incurable prostate cancer when tumours have spread through the body.

Scientists have identified a protein, prostate-specific membrane antigen, which is produced by cells in the most advanced cases.

PSMA was used initially to scan where tumours had spread, but now it is used to guide radioactive isotopes to tumours. Trials involving this technique found eight in 10 of the hardest to treat patients had their tumours shrink.

The last-ditch treatment is now available in the UK, but only privately – with the first two patients receiving it last week. There are 10,000 men in Britain with advanced prostate cancer.

If trials are successful, experts at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago said PSMA radiotherapy could be introduced on the NHS.

Study leader Prof Johann de Bono, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said: “This treatment is a huge deal, causing substantially durable remission.

“We believe we will have this drug approved within two years – and it works.”

Aussie oncologist Arun Azad is testing the treatment on 200 men in one of 10 trials worldwide.

He said: “If results are positive, it really will change the landscape of how we treat prostate cancer.”

Scientists believe patients could survive for up to a decade longer with the procedure.

There are 11,500 prostate cancer deaths in the UK a year.

■ HORMONE pill enzalutamide, which blocks testosterone from fuelling cancer cells, can cut the risk of dying from prostate cancer by a third, a study found.

We believe we’ll have this drug approved in two years, and it works PROF JOHANN DE BONO STUDY LEADER