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New leukaemia therapy could transform cancer treatment, Australian researchers say

September 23, 2019

The Royal Perth Hospital is the first to trial a ‘miracle’ drug treatment after an 80-year-old patient with an aggressive type of leukaemia responded so well to it he’s now in remission.

Howard Kurth, a retired grandfather, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia two years ago and only given days to live, Nine News reports .

"There was absolutely no sign of tiredness or soreness or anything," he said.

With cancer taking over 90 per cent of his body, Mr Kurth was not even a candidate for the usually-prescribed chemotherapy.

However, within four months after starting the new treatment he was in remission - and continues to be after two years.

"I thought, 'Well, I am going to beat this, there's no two ways about it', and so far I have," he told Nine News.

The immunotherapy targets mutant proteins in the blood and includes a week-long stint of small chemotherapy injections as well as two pills each day.

The Royal Perth Hospital is Australia’s only facility taking part in the world-first study.

The hospital's Dr Peter Tan says the new therapy could transform the way cancer is treated.

"We think it will change the standard therapy and once it does become available for all patients, it will be the new gold standard across the world," he said.

The trial is expected to last five years before the treatment is available to the public.

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