Scientists have discovered an Achilles ’ heel of prostate ( pictured ) cancer that could lead to better treatment for many men diagnosed with the disease . British scientists have discovered an ‘ Achilles ’ heel ’ in prostate cancer which could lead to better treatments . The disease claims almost 11,000 lives a year in the UK , with most deaths occurring after it spreads around the body . The latest study gets to the root of this spread , and could mean better outcomes for the 42,000 men a year diagnosed with the illness . Scientists funded by Cancer Research UK studied samples taken from tumours in the prostate and around the body in ten affected men . Reading the DNA revealed details of how the cancer metastasises , or spreads , allowing them to build a ‘ family tree ’ of how the disease changes over time . It seems that most of the cells in a tumour stay where they are . However , a small number have the ability to travel through the body , creating new tumours as they go . These cells are the ‘ root ’ of the cancer and for a treatment to work , they should be destroyed . In future , doctors may be able to find these key cells in individual patients . They could then be given drugs to wipe them out , with each patient ’ s treatment tailored to the genetic flaw at the root of their cancer . This should kill the new tumours and prevent more from forming , greatly improving odds of survival . Cambridge University researcher Professor David Neal said some suitable drugs already exist , and that new ones are being developed all the time . However , he cautioned that it will be three to five years before the latest knowledge can be routinely put to use in the NHS . Lead study author Professor Ros Eeles , from the Institute of Cancer Research in London , said : ‘ We gained a much broader view of prostate cancer by studying both the original cancer and the cells that had spread to other parts of the body . ‘ We found that all of the cells that had broken free shared a common ancestor cell in the prostate . ‘ The common faults we found in each man could potentially offer new targets for treatment. ’ Co-author Dr Ultan McDermott , from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridgeshire , described the finding as a ‘ potential Achilles ’ heel ’ . Professor Peter Johnson , chief clinician at Cancer Research UK , said : ‘ This research lets us look right into the molecular core of cancer. ’ Samples were taken from tumours in the prostate and around the body in ten men with the disease ( pictured ) . Reading the DNA revealed details of how the cancer metastasises - or spreads - allowing scientists to understand how the disease changes over time .
British scientists say they have got to the 'root ' of prostate cancer . Score: 7