Travel News > June 2010 > Can a sea sponge improve breast cancer survival rates?

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Can a sea sponge improve breast cancer survival rates?

10/06/2010

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UK scientists have been researching a new drug that could improve breast cancer survival rates amongst women with an advanced form of the disease.

The drug has been developed by extracting a natural substance from a sea sponge that has the ability to slow cancer growth. The new chemotherapy drug is called eribulin mesylate, which has been tested on a number of women with advanced breast cancer.

The medical trials have shown that breast cancer survival rates in women who took eribulin were 25% longer than those who didn't receive the drug. Overall, the drug didn't show any extreme side effects.

Though eribulin doesn't actually cure advanced breast cancer, it does prolong the life of the sufferer. And it's a step in the right direction to finding a cure.

A lead investigator at the Leeds University Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre commented on the drug: "Until now, there hasn't really been a standard treatment for women with such advanced breast cancer. For those women who have already received all of the recognised treatments, these are promising results. These results may establish eribulin as a new, effective treatment for women with late-stage metastatic breast cancer."

Eribulin is the first drug of its kind to have a marked effect on breast cancer survival rates in women with advanced breast cancer.

At present, eribulin is not readily available, but the drug is awaiting approval. The sea sponge drug is a step in the right direction to treating women with advanced breast cancer.

If you suffer from breast cancer, then why not take a holiday abroad to get away from it all? Speak to your cancer doctor to find out if you are in a fit enough condition to travel. Make sure you take enough medicine with you to cover your whole trip, and any spares in case of delays. Your medicine must be accompanied by a letter from your doctor.

If you do decide to take a holiday abroad, make sure you buy travel insurance and declare your illness when you book. Goodtogoinsurance.com specialises in providing travel insurance to those with cancer. We can even cover you if you have a terminal prognosis.

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