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New Radiation Pill Slams Cancer Cells

Patients have 30% lower death rate

By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 24, 2011 5:09 PM CDT

(Newser) – Doctors in London have stopped a cancer drug trial because it was so successful, the Telegraph reports. They said it would have been "unethical" to give any of the 922 participants a placebo for their prostate cancer. The drug in the trial targets tumors with alpha radiation, which the doctors say is effective because it damages tumors more than typical beta particles, and causes less harm to surrounding tissue.

Patients taking the drug, called Radium-223 Chloride—or Alpharadin TM—had a 30% lower death rate than the placebo-users and experienced less pain and side effects, the BBC reports. The researchers will now submit their work to regulators for approval. "This research looks very promising and could be an important addition to approaches available to treat secondary tumors—and should be investigated further," says a radiologist at Cancer Research UK.

  (Shutterstock)
  (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
skp14
Sep 25, 2011 12:54 PM CDT
Google 'Burzynski cancer movie' and see how the FDA and Big Pharma DO NOT want a cure for Cancer. It's a very interesting story and hope for the future. 
Count-Spatula
Sep 24, 2011 9:49 PM CDT
You guys can have prayer. I'll take science, every time
WallyEFunk
Sep 24, 2011 8:14 PM CDT
stopped a cancer drug trial because it was so successful ? Ahh while your waiting for approval test lots of people sounds better ?

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