Researchers have developed a new drug for deadly prostate cancer:
It had been assumed that the cancer was driven by sex hormones such as testosterone produced in the testicles.Current treatments work by stopping the testicles from producing testosterone.
However, experts have now discovered that the cancer can feed on sex hormones from all sources, including supplies of the hormone produced by the tumour itself.
Abiraterone works by blocking production of the hormones throughout the body.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, is based on just 21 patients with advanced, aggressive prostate cancer treated with the drug — but data has been collected on a total of 250 worldwide.
It found significant tumour shrinkage, and a drop in tell-tale levels of a key protein produced by the cancer called prostate specific antigen in the majority of patients.
Many of the patients have reported a significant improvement in the quality of their lives.
Some were able to stop taking morphine for the relief of pain caused by the spread of the disease to their bones.