Drug offers new hope for liver cancer

In tests on 16 Hong Kong patients, most of whom had life expectancies of three months or less, the drug significantly reduced the tumors of two patients by more than 30 percent and stabilized tumor growth in four other patients.

Doctors at the University of Hong Kong believe that the drug, Sorafenib, may offer “new hope” to dying patients, improving their condition to the extent that they can undergo conventional therapy such as transplants.

The tests on the drug have been carried out by university doctors since last year on liver cancer patients too ill to undergo conventional therapy, the South China Morning Post reported.

The drug appears to be effective because it suppresses the growth of cancer cells and also inhibits the growth of blood vessels that supply nutrition to the tumors, the newspaper said.

However, it has so far been effective in reducing the size of tumors in only 13 percent of patients and the drug would cost patients almost US$5,000 a month, doctors quoted by the newspaper conceded.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email