Cancer: New targeted drug treatment trials show promise

Cancer survival rates have doubled in the past 40 years, and scientists believe that is set to improve further with a new generation of targeted drug treatments.

The new treatments are the result of huge advances in the understanding of the faulty genes which drive cancer growth, and they tend to have fewer side-effects than conventional chemotherapy.

In some cases, they may cure more cancers.

The BBC's Panorama programme has spent 18 months following a group of patients, including one young girl, Sophie Armitage, who has a rare childhood cancer.

Fergus Walsh reports.