Thalidomide 'retest' brings hope to cancer patients

Thalidomide, the drug which caused appalling birth defects in thousands of children in the 1960s, is being used to treat lung cancer, scientists announced today.

A trial of the notorious drug in 30 British patients with inoperable lung cancer is under way after it was shown to help shrink tumours and prevent the disease from returning.

Scientists hope that if the trial is successful, thalidomide could be used to treat other forms of cancer.

Thalidomide was launched in 1958 and was used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women.

Made by drug giant Distillers, it became hugely popular as it also worked as a mild sedative which could not be overdosed on.

Hundreds of thousands of women world-wide were prescribed the drug but it was later found to cause horrific defects, with babies born with missing arms and legs.

About 10,000 children world-wide were affected by thalidomide. Some 5,500 thalidomide victims are still alive.

After a long campaign by victims and their families, a multi-million pound compensation package was set up by the drugs company.

Now scientists have found that thalidomide has ‘‘extraordinary’’ properties which can help treat cancer.

The very properties which caused the birth defects can help to shrink tumours.

Thalidomide blocks blood vessels and limits blood flow, which is why babies were left with missing limbs.

But in the same way the drug can stop the growth of blood vessels that feed cancerous tumours with oxygen.

It can also stabilise blood flow which tends to pulse and be chaotic around tumours.

Stabilising the blood flow enhances the delivery of chemotherapy treatment to the tumour, helping to destroy it.

The drug also seems to help after chemotherapy treatment by preventing the return of cancer.