JERUSALEM, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have found that a drug for breast and ovarian cancer is also effective in treating metastatic pancreatic cancer, the Sheba Medical Center (SMC), located in central Israel, reported on Monday.

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most difficult cancers for diagnosis and treatment, with 80 percent of patients diagnosed only at the late stage of metastases.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, 458,918 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018. Only three percent of them are expected to survive more than five years after diagnosis.

In addition, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, pancreatic cancer is the ninth most common cancer in women and the tenth most common cancer in men. It is also the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women.

The research was conducted among 154 pancreatic cancer patients expressing mutations in BRCA genes that produce proteins to repair DNA and thus maintain the genetic stability of the cells.

According to the findings, among patients treated with Lynparza, progression of the disease was halted for 7.4 months, compared with 3.8 months in the placebo group.

Moreover, one out of every five patients who received the drug continued to live without progression of the disease for two years.

"This is a real and significant news for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, which we have been waiting for many years", said Talia Golan, head of the research.

She added that "it is impossible to describe the great excitement of bringing this wonderful news to patients, their families and the community of doctors and scientists."