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Alpha radiation treats prostate cancers | Alpha radiation treats prostate cancers |
(about 1 hour later) | |
By James Gallagher Health reporter, BBC News | By James Gallagher Health reporter, BBC News |
A trial of a new cancer drug, which accurately targets tumours, has been so successful it has been stopped early. | A trial of a new cancer drug, which accurately targets tumours, has been so successful it has been stopped early. |
Doctors at London's Royal Marsden Hospital gave prostate cancer patients a powerful alpha radiation drug and found that they lived longer, and experienced less pain and side effects. | Doctors at London's Royal Marsden Hospital gave prostate cancer patients a powerful alpha radiation drug and found that they lived longer, and experienced less pain and side effects. |
The medics then stopped the trial of 922 people, saying it was unethical not to offer all of them the treatment. | |
Lead researcher Dr Chris Parker said it was "a significant step forward". | Lead researcher Dr Chris Parker said it was "a significant step forward". |
Cancer Research UK said it was a very important and promising discovery. | Cancer Research UK said it was a very important and promising discovery. |
Radiation has been used to treat tumours for more than a century. It damages the genetic code inside cancerous cells. | Radiation has been used to treat tumours for more than a century. It damages the genetic code inside cancerous cells. |
Alpha particles are the big, bulky, bruisers of the radiation world. It is a barrage of helium nuclei, which are far bigger than beta radiation, a stream of electrons, or gamma waves. | Alpha particles are the big, bulky, bruisers of the radiation world. It is a barrage of helium nuclei, which are far bigger than beta radiation, a stream of electrons, or gamma waves. |
Dr Parker told the BBC: "It's more damaging. It takes one, two, three hits to kill a cancer cell compared with thousands of hits for beta particles." | Dr Parker told the BBC: "It's more damaging. It takes one, two, three hits to kill a cancer cell compared with thousands of hits for beta particles." |
Alpha particles also do less damage to surrounding tissue. He added: "They have such a tiny range, a few millionths of a metre. So we can be sure that the damage is being done where it should be." | Alpha particles also do less damage to surrounding tissue. He added: "They have such a tiny range, a few millionths of a metre. So we can be sure that the damage is being done where it should be." |
In 90% of patients with advanced prostate cancer, the tumour will have spread to the bone. At this stage there are no treatments which affect survival. | In 90% of patients with advanced prostate cancer, the tumour will have spread to the bone. At this stage there are no treatments which affect survival. |
The study looked at patients with these secondary cancers, as the source of radiation - radium-223 chloride - acts like calcium and sticks to bone. | The study looked at patients with these secondary cancers, as the source of radiation - radium-223 chloride - acts like calcium and sticks to bone. |
Half were given the radium-223 chloride drug alongside traditional chemotherapy, while the other patients received chemotherapy and a dummy pill. | Half were given the radium-223 chloride drug alongside traditional chemotherapy, while the other patients received chemotherapy and a dummy pill. |
The death rate was 30% lower in the group taking radium-223. Those patients survived for 14 months on average compared to 11 months in the dummy group. | The death rate was 30% lower in the group taking radium-223. Those patients survived for 14 months on average compared to 11 months in the dummy group. |
The trial was abandoned as "it would have been unethical not to offer the active treatment to those taking placebo", said Dr Parker. | The trial was abandoned as "it would have been unethical not to offer the active treatment to those taking placebo", said Dr Parker. |
He added: "I think it will be a significant step forward for cancer patients". | He added: "I think it will be a significant step forward for cancer patients". |
Researchers also said the treatment was safe. Curiously there were fewer side-effects in the group taking the treatment than those taking the dummy medicine. | Researchers also said the treatment was safe. Curiously there were fewer side-effects in the group taking the treatment than those taking the dummy medicine. |
The findings are being presented at the European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress but they have not yet been peer-reviewed by other academics. | The findings are being presented at the European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress but they have not yet been peer-reviewed by other academics. |
Prof Gillies McKenna, Cancer Research UK's radiotherapy expert and director of the Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology, said: "This appears to be an important study using a highly targeted form of radiation to treat prostate cancer that has spread to the bones. | Prof Gillies McKenna, Cancer Research UK's radiotherapy expert and director of the Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology, said: "This appears to be an important study using a highly targeted form of radiation to treat prostate cancer that has spread to the bones. |
"This research looks very promising and could be an important addition to approaches available to treat secondary tumours - and should be investigated further." | "This research looks very promising and could be an important addition to approaches available to treat secondary tumours - and should be investigated further." |
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