Breakthrough hopes as pill reduces tumours in four out of five patients

A PILL for advanced skin cancer that targets patients with a particular genetic make-up has had dramatic results.

In 80 per cent of those treated during a trial, tumours were significantly reduced in size.

The patients were suffering from malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, which had started to spread. Most had mutations in the BRAF gene, which occur in 40-60 per cent of such patients.

The drug, PLX4032, inhibits faulty BRAF and prevents it stimulating the cancer.

Lead researcher Dr Paul Chapman, from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York, said: "We have seen many tumours shrink rapidly and, in some patients, quality of life improved dramatically. This is the beginning of personalised medicine in melanoma."

A total of 87 patients took part in the Phase II study and were treated with increasing doses of PLX4032. Two complete and 24 partial responses were seen among the 32 patients treated with a full dose of the drug. Tumour shrinkage was seen at all cancer sites, including the liver, small bowel and bone.

Some 16 individuals are still taking part in the trial, whose findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr Chapman is now heading a larger Phase III study.

He said: "We have never seen an 80 per cent response rate in melanoma, or in any other solid tumour, so this is remarkable.