Patients with aggressive, incurable cancers saw their tumors stop growing after they started taking a twice-daily tablet.
The experimental drug, called ceralasertib, is designed to prevent the tumor’s cells from repairing themselves, causing them to die.
Researchers gave the pills to 67 patients who had not responded to conventional treatment. In the early phase of the study, more than half saw their tumors stop growing, while others did not see their cancer progress for at least three years.
Experts believe the drug can be combined with immune-boosting cancer treatments to boost its effectiveness.
They are known as immunotherapy and are offered to around one in ten cancer patients in Britain. They work by training the immune system to find and kill cancer cells.
In many cases, however, cancer cells can disguise themselves to avoid treatments, which has led researchers to develop drugs that can help the immune system recognize them. For example, Ceralasertib targets the protein ATR, which helps with cell repair.
The experimental drug, called ceralasertib, is designed to prevent the tumor’s cells from repairing themselves, causing them to die (stock image)
‘The drug damages the cancer’s DNA, causing the tumor to become inflamed,’ says Dr Magnus Dillon, a clinical scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research. ‘The theory is that this inflammation in the body will attract the attention of the immune system to attack the cancer.’
Last month’s study explains how researchers gave the 67 patients – all of whom had various incurable cancers – ceralasertib to check whether it was safe for human consumption. About 34 of them saw their tumors stop growing.
One patient, George Pieri, 85, has skin cancer in his lower lip that has spread to his throat. He was treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery to remove a bone from his lower jaw. However, nothing stopped the spread of the disease. But since taking ceralasertib, George’s cancer has remained stable and he has had no side effects.
“For me there was nothing else,” he says. ‘It’s surprising that only two pills a day were needed. I’m so happy to be able to spend this time with my children and grandchildren.’
Dr. Dillon says the next step will be combining ceralasertib with immunotherapy drugs. He adds: ‘We’re still in the early stages, but it looks like this could be a very interesting treatment.’