New compound could offer ovarian cancer hope
Scientists say they have discovered a potential new treatment for a range of cancers that is effective and does not have such a detrimental effect on patients as other medications.
Led by Rathindra Bose, a team from Northern Illinois University found a new class of compounds - phosphaplatins - can kill ovarian, testicular, head and neck cancer cells with "potentially less toxicity than conventional drugs".
While conventional treatments can affect cell enzymes, leading to kidney dysfunction and hair loss, the phosphaplatins are not as harmful because they do not penetrate the cell nucleus.
In the study, a dose of phosphaplatins equal to half that of conventional drugs killed ovarian cancer cells but appeared to be "just as potent", the study concluded.
Ovarian and testicular cancers are commonly treated with cisplatin, which is around 95 per cent effective, especially in patients who have been diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.
Women with cancer insurance might know there are different kinds of ovarian forms of the disease but they are all currently treated in a similar way. 
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