Scientists at an American research centre say they have discerned a significant improvement in survival rates among cancer patients using a new platinum based treatment.

In findings reported in today's (May 1st) issue of the journal Cancer, researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre say the new treatment has shown excellent signs in combating hereditary BRCA-associated ovarian cancer.

'We found that advanced stage hereditary BRCA-associated ovarian cancer patients had a better response to platinum based chemotherapy than patients without BRCA-mutations who had advanced disease,' said Ilana Cass, the principal investigator of the study and gynecologic oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre.

'This may contribute to their improved prognosis,' Cass added.

Using the new treatment the average survival time among patients with advanced stage hereditary BRCA-associated ovarian cancer was 91 months as compared to 54 months on the traditional treatment.

Dr Beth Karlan, senior author of the study and director of the Women's Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai, said the news may lead to the development of targeted therapies or drugs that will improve survival for all women with ovarian cancer, adding it could ultimately produce 'novel means of cancer prevention'.