Women with cervical cancer have been given fresh hope after research proved that the combination of a chemotherapy drug with radiotherapy treatment cuts the risk of dying from the disease by 23 per cent.

Dr Paul Symonds, a consultant oncologist at Leicester Royal Infirmary and researcher at the University of Leicester, has spent five years studying the effect of the drug Cisplatin combined with radiation therapy on patients with advanced cervical cancer.

Cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug, is already used in the treatment of cancers including those of the cervix, bowel, head and neck and lung.

But Dr Symonds's work is the first long-term audit. It looked at the case histories of 1,410 patients across the UK over five years and compared those taking Cisplatin combined with radiotherapy with those who were given radiotherapy.

It found those given the combination treatment were 23 per cent less likely to die from cervical cancer.

He said: "The addition of Cisplatin to radiation has saved the lives of hundreds of women with locally advanced cancer.

"What the national audit has shown is that the addition of Cisplatin improves survival.

"It also showed a marked improvement in the five-year survival of locally advanced cervix cancer, compared with the last audit, of patients treated in 1993.

"As this is curative treatment we can genuinely say this is a reduction in the odds of death."

Cisplatin contains the metal platinum and works by affecting the DNA within cancer cells to kill them.

Dr Symonds worked with colleagues in London and Manchester.

About 10 people a year in Leicestershire die from cervical cancer. About 2,900 women are diagnosed with the cancer in the UK each year.

One of Dr Symonds's patients was Elizabeth Humphries, from Loughborough.

She was 79 when she was told her cancer was untreatable – but refused to believe it.

She found Dr Symonds, who agreed to start combination treatment.

She said: "I had never felt ill or been in pain so it was a big shock. I was determined to do something and was referred to Dr Symonds.

"He said it wasn't usually given to people my age because it is a bit harsh.

"I was quite strong and fit and wanted the treatment."

Mrs Humphries, now 85, had treatment sessions every day for five weeks and then a "final blast" session.

"Dr Symonds said it was important to be positive and I was.

"The tumour has shrunk and there is no sign of the cancer, five years later," she said.

The research is due to be published next month

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