Trial results for new lung cancer drug are ‘off the charts’, say doctors

Lung cancer is the world’s leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about 1.8m deaths every year. Photograph: da-kuk/Getty Images

Doctors are hailing “off the chart” trial results that show a new drug stopped lung cancer advancing for longer than any other treatment in medical history.

Lung cancer is the world’s leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about 1.8m deaths every year. Survival rates in those with advanced forms of the disease, where tumours have spread, are particularly poor.