LIFE-EXTENDING PILL

Developed in London, the “wonder drug” Abiraterone has not yet been approved for use in the UK on the NHS.

In recent US trials, the hormone-based treatment was found to add up to five months to the lifespan of late-stage cancer sufferers, who usually have an average survival span of just 18 months.

But the cost of the drug – estimated to be in the region of £3,000 a month – is thought likely to be prohibitive for most sufferers of the disease.

It is due to be released in the UK under the name Zytiga by pharmaceuticals giant Johnson & Johnson.

The drug works as an inhibitor to a specific enzyme which helps to produce a substance known to help fuel the growth of cancerous tumours.