Cancer treatment breakthrough

Cancer patients will be saved from unnecessary chemotherapy after scientists discovered that the most unstable cancer cells are actually least likely to multiply and spread. Each cell contains thousands of genes within 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Cancer Research UK scientists have found that patients with the most disrupted or unstable chromosomes are more likely to survive than those with moderate disruption.

The results suggest that while some genetic disruption helps tumours to grow, after a certain point they are too "messed up" to survive. This discovery will allow doctors to avoid giving patients unnecessary chemotherapy, which can cause painful side-effects.