Two tablet a day treatment that can stop bladder cancer for 18 months

Two tablet a day treatment that can stop bladder cancer for 18 months
Two tablet a day treatment that can stop bladder cancer for 18 months

Professor Thomas Powels, oncologist and director of the Barts Cancer Centre where the trial took place said those given the two-pronged treatment will ‘undoubtedly live for longer’

Professor Thomas Powels, oncologist and director of the Barts Cancer Centre where the trial took place said those given the two-pronged treatment will ‘undoubtedly live for longer’

A new ‘double attack’ treatment for deadly bladder cancer that keeps the disease at bay for three times longer than the current approach, is offering fresh hope to the sickest patients.

Top cancer specialists have hailed the drug combination ‘the most effective yet’, after a landmark trial showed it stopped cancer in its tracks for at least 18 months in three quarters of those who’d run out of treatment options.

Professor Thomas Powels, oncologist and director of the Barts Cancer Centre where the trial took place said those given the two-pronged treatment will ‘undoubtedly live for longer’.

He cautioned that it wasn’t a cure but added: ‘It could lead to long-term remission.’

Every year, more than 10,000 Britons are diagnosed with bladder cancer. While survival rates for the disease have increased in recent years, due to medical advances and earlier diagnosis, it still kills roughly 5,000 every year.

Most of these patients – around a quarter of all bladder cancer sufferers – will be diagnosed at a late stage when the disease has spread to the surrounding organs.

More than two thirds of those diagnosed at this stage don’t survive a full year, according to Cancer Research UK. Radical surgery is usually performed, to remove the bladder and surrounding organs, which often leaves patients with life-changing disabilities.

Last year artist Tracey Emin revealed she’d had extensive surgery to remove a tumour in her bladder, which also involved removing part of her bowel and her vagina, to stop the disease spreading.

Last year artist Tracey Emin, pictured, revealed she’d had extensive surgery to remove a tumour in her bladder, which also involved removing part of her bowel and her vagina, to stop the disease spreading

Last year artist Tracey Emin, pictured, revealed she’d had extensive surgery to remove a tumour in her bladder, which also involved removing part of her bowel and her vagina, to stop the disease spreading

Patients typically follow this sort of process with a course of chemotherapy to kill remaining cancer cells. But in 60 per cent of them, chemotherapy only works to stop the cancer growing for a few months. Doctors may then

read more from dailymail.....

NEXT Health service initiative offers patients a chance to see a GP on the same day ... trends now