Doctors develop chemo-free cancer drug

A Queensland hospital has helped to develop a potential method to fight lung cancer without chemotherapy.

Princess Alexandra Hospital's (PAH) Professor Ken O'Byrne said the drug Keytruda could be used to activate the body's immune cells to fight cancer without using radioactive compounds.

Prof O'Byrne said Keytruda had been used previously for patients battling advanced melanoma.

"Following a study of more than 300 patients, which PAH took part in, we found Keytruda was better than chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer selected using a biomarker," he said.

"This marks a major change in lung cancer treatment and a new era in precision medicine."

The drug has been approved for use by the Theraputic Goods Administration, and there are now calls for it to be added to the Pharmacuetical Benefits Scheme as soon as possible.

Nearly 9000 Australians die from lung cancer each year, with a mortality rate of 85 per cent over five years making it one of the deadliest cancers.