Cancer drug breakthrough

A drug that is already available on the NHS in Scotland to treat bladder and lung cancer has benefited some patients with head and neck cancer.

A study into the effect of pembrolizumab found 36 patients given the immunotherapy drug saw their tumours partially or completely disappear.

The trial included patients from the Western General hospital in Edinburgh.

It has been reported that some patients are still cancer-free three years after first receiving the drug.