January 20, 2010 (CHICAGO) --
An experimental drug helped extend the lives of patients with advanced melanoma, according to a study by the manufacturer Roche and a London hospital. More than 650 patients tested the drug at the Royal Marsden Hospital.
The medication attacks a faulty gene that is present in around half of all melanoma cases.
Previous trials showed the drug shrank tumors for an average of six months.
This latest report finds the drug also prolongs survival. For now it is only available to those patients who are taking part in a clinical trial.