A pill that extends the lives of advanced prostate cancer patients by 4 months is on the verge of being approved and launched in the UK. Zytiga is a hormone drug that reduces the source of testosterone, the hormone responsible for the growth of cancer cells. Standard hormone treatment for prostate cancer blocks the production of the male hormone in the testicles. A recent study showed that tumor cells are able to produce hormones on their own – just like the adrenal gland. The innovative thing about Zytiga is that it blocks the production of testosterone in any way. The hormonal drug could also be used in 80% of patients whose body does not respond to the treatment with standard drugs for prostate cancer. The drug is not yet on the market, but it is expected to be approved and made available to patients by the end of the year. A study of nearly 800 volunteers in 13 countries found that those who took the drug in combination with conventional steroids lived 15 months longer. The hormonal medication was discovered by British scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research in the United Kingdom.