A drug combination targeting multiple mutant versions of cancer’s ‘death star’ protein has shown promise in a small, early-phase clinical trial for some patients with advanced lung, ovarian and thyroid cancer.

Scientists have created a prototype test that can predict which drug combinations are likely to work for cancer patients in as little as 24 to 48 hours.

A new drug designed to counter the effects of an important, but very hard to target, cancer mutation could be effective against a range of tumour types including lung and gynaecological cancers, a new clinical trial shows.