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04 June 2015 09:32
Scientists have hailed the potential of the new drug
A new drug could help patients with a devastating form of lung cancer to live longer, it has been suggested.
Nivolumab, an immuno-therapy drug that unshackles the immune system so it can attack cancerous cells, has been shown to double the life expectancy of genetically targeted patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.
One expert has described the results of the major international trial as a "paradigm shift" in the battle against lung cancer.
Lung cancer is one of the UK's most serious forms of the disease.
Advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer accounts for around 85% of all cases of the lung disease, which is diagnosed in 43,463 new patients and is responsible for 35,371 deaths each year in the UK.
Overseas travel
Like other cancers, treatment depends on how far it has spread and how good your general health is.
But whether you are a cancer survivor or are undergoing treatment, cancer travel insurance means you can still enjoy jetting off to sunnier climes around the world with family and friends.
Policies can include cover for replacing lost medication and access to 24/7 emergency assistance.
Longer life expectancy
The new research, led by Dr Luis Paz-Ares, from the Hospital Universitario Virgen Del Rocio in Spain, compared the effectiveness of nivolumab and the standard chemotherapy drug docetaxel in 582 patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.
Nivolumab reduced the risk of dying by 27% compared with docetaxel and increased typical survival time from 9.4 to 12.2 months.
In patients whose cancers produced higher levels of a tumour protein called PD-L1, survival time more than doubled from eight to 19.4 months.
Dr David Chao, consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London, described the findings as a paradigm shift in the treatment of lung cancer.
17 January 2019
Campaigners are protesting outside the High Court in London as the legal challenge against Heathrow Airport's controversial expansion ramps up.
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16 January 2019
A new way to predict a woman's risk of breast cancer has been unveiled by scientists - and it's the most comprehensive method yet.
15 January 2019
NHS commissioners could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for every patient left waiting more than a year for vital care, new proposals suggest.
12 January 2019
All UK airports should buy anti-drone technology and not rely on the Royal Air Force to help out, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.
10 January 2019
The military was brought in on Tuesday night after police officers saw a drone operating at Heathrow Airport, forcing departures to be suspended for an hour.
11 January 2019
A so-called "drug sponge" that mops up leftover drugs from cancer treatment could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, new research has claimed.
09 January 2019
A hormone released during exercise could help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
08 January 2019
Ryanair has been labelled the worst airline operating in the UK for the sixth year running in a leading consumer group survey.
05 January 2019
Anti-drone technology will be deployed at the UK's two busiest airports in response to the disruption caused before Christmas.
04 January 2019
A new cancer-detecting breathalyser test is being trialled in the UK - in a move that could revolutionise the way the disease is diagnosed.
03 January 2019
The average 10-year-old child will have already eaten more sugar in their life than the maximum amount recommended for 18-year-olds, a new study reveals.
01 January 2019
The number of travellers satisfied with flying has fallen over the last two years over frustration with how airlines handle complaints, new research reveals.