Half of Hong Kong's breast cancer patients are boosting their chance of survival by up to one-third by using the drug Tamoxifen, according to new research.
In a trial of 200 women at Hong Kong's five oncology centres - part of a worldwide study into the drug - doctors found that women who were tumour-responsive to Tamoxifen increased their survival rate by 20 to 30 per cent.
More than half of the 200 women were tumour-responsive - their tumours were sensitive to the female hormone oestrogen.
For those who were not, their chances of survival were still increased by 10 to 15 per cent, according to Dr Dora Kwong Lai-wan, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology at Queen Mary Hospital.
After surgical removal of tumours, the drug helped to increase survival chances, Dr Kwong said. But not every type of tumour was responsive.
British researchers last week claimed that 20,000 breast cancer deaths could be prevented around the world if Tamoxifen was given to more young women.
A total of 55 countries have taken part in the study.
