New hope for cancer victims

The battle against breast cancer took a dramatic step forward today after scientists found a new way to stop the illness recurring.

An international trial has found that a new drug can slash the risk of the condition returning by a third. Today experts hailed the findings as "very promising".

They hope the drug will significantly improve survival rates - millions of women who undergo treatment for breast cancer later suffer a relapse.

The breakthrough follows a major trial by Cancer Research UK and drugs giant Pfizer involving 4,700 post-menopausal women from 37 countries, including the UK.

Women treated for breast cancer are currently prescribed tamoxifen, which is designed to prevent recurrence. But the treatment - typically for five years - has been linked to side-effects including blood clots and uterine cancer.

In the latest trial, women treated for breast cancer were given a drug known as exemastane following two to three years of tamoxifen. Exemastane halts production of the hormone oestrogen, responsible for the development and recurrence of many breast cancers.

A total of 92 of 100 patients who took tamoxifen followed by exemastane were cancer-free after three years of the new treatment, compared with 87 patients who carried on with tamoxifen alone.

Professor Robert Souhami, director of clinical and external affairs at Cancer Research UK, said: "The results of this study are very promising."

However, he said: "These results only tell us what happens in the short term. It's essential we continue to study the drug."