29 October 2015
The first drug that targets precise genetic mutations in prostate cancer has been shown to be effective in a "milestone" trial by UK scientists.
The study, at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, took place on 49 men with untreatable cancer.
The drug, olaparib, had low overall success, but slowed tumour growth in 88% of patients with specific DNA mutations.
Cancer Research UK said the trial was exciting.
The future of cancer medicine is treating cancers by their mutated DNA rather than what part of the body they are in.
The breast cancer drug Herceptin is already used only in patients with specific mutations. Olaparib targets mutations that change the way DNA is repaired.
