Cancer treatments that attack tumours based on their individual genetic traits; not their location in the body, far outperform traditional methods, extending survival for twice as many patients, a study said Saturday. Melanoma and cancer of the female reproductive tract were also included, along with more rare types of cancer. Patients who received molecular targeted therapies either got an investigational drug then being tested in a clinical trial, or an FDA-approved targeted therapy commercially approved for another indication. After three years, 15 per cent of people treated with targeted cancer therapies were alive, compared to seven per cent in the non-targeted group. After 10 years, six per cent of the targeted group was alive, compared to just one per cent in the other group.

Source: Punch June 02, 2018 11:37 UTC