A major trial of an anti-cancer treatment on patients in Bradford has been hailed a huge success.

Bradford Royal Infirmary was one of 65 UK hospitals involved in the breast cancer drug trial which involved giving an existing medicine in a different way.

Dr Chris Bradley, medical oncologist at the hospital, put forward 45 women in the early stages of the disease to take part in the National Epirubicin Adjuvant Trial (NEAT).

They were among more than 2,000 involved nationwide.

Most of the 40,000 new breast cancer cases diagnosed in the UK each year are treated with chemotherapy, and researchers believed survival rates could be improved.

Professor Chris Twelves, a clinical director at the University of Bradford's Cancer Research Unit, previously worked in Scotland where he set up the NEAT trial.

He said that, although Epirubicin had been used before in a cocktail of chemotherapy drugs, the trial involved administering it alone.

Women who took part were randomly chosen to receive either six courses of chemotherapy, formerly the standard treatment, or four courses of Epirubicin followed by four of chemo.

He said the thinking behind the mixed treatment was that cancer cells not hit by one could be by the other.

"It was two bites at the cherry," he said.

The first sets of data about the effects on participants of the trial is showing a "striking improvement" in women who have received both types of treatment.

"This is a major development because it makes a real difference to the number of women who will survive breast cancer," he said.

And he added that another bonus was that, as the drug had been used in the past, it was readily available.

Dr Bradley said early results showed women who received Epirubicin were 31 per cent less likely to relapse or die than those treated with chemotherapy alone.

Shipley grandmother Marion Potts was one of the Bradford patients who took part.

The 55-year-old found a lump in her breast two days after her 50th birthday and was diagnosed with cancer. After an operation to remove it, she was asked whether she wanted to take part in the trial - and she said she jumped at the chance.

Mrs Potts said the treatment was gruelling and left her feeling extremely ill.

"I lost all my hair after a fortnight even though I had been wearing a cold cap to protect it," she said.

Since then she has been having regular tests and check-ups which have been fine so far.

"I hopefully should get the all-clear next April," she said.

"I was glad I took part in the trail - you feel you could be helping people in the future."