IT is the major breakthrough that could give doctors a vital weapon in the fight against childhood cancer.

Scientists at the University of Southampton are celebrating after developing antibodies capable of attacking tumours which previously have withstood other treatments.

Families across Hampshire fighting the aggressive “neuroblastoma” cancer have praised the ground-breaking work giving them hope that their youngsters will have a much better chance of survival.

Laboratory tests have found that up to 60 per cent of tumours treated in this new way retreat, leading to long-term survival giving new hope to young patients where chemotherapy has failed.

The positive results from the pre-clinical trial means the Cancer Research UK scientists based in the city can now design the first paediatric clinical trials on patients.

The study has shown that the antibodies developed by the team boost the immune system to fight neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer which affects 100 children in the UK each year.

They found that 40 to 60 per cent of the tumours treated with the stimulatory antibodies regressed in the laboratory models and ensured long-term survival.

Professor Martin Glennie, head of the cancer sciences at the University of Southampton, said: “We very much hope these results will enable us to develop a pioneering immunotherapy treatment for a childhood cancer.

“In theory this approach enables us to kill cancer cells without damaging healthy cells, resulting in fewer toxic side effects such as hair loss, nausea and tiredness.”

Currently six out of ten children with the disease can be successfully treated with conventional chemotherapy but for those children who don’t respond, this treatment, immunotherapy, could become a vital new option.

Children like McKenzie-Blu Kemish, who after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma aged two, discovered that his rare form of the disease could not be treated by chemotherapy.

Fortunately, surgery to remove the tumour has seen the Totton youngster fight off the cancer, but with a relapse always a fear for his parents, the news of the possibility of a new treatment has given them hope.

His mum Amberley said: “This is fantastic news. It will make a massive difference for the children and for their parents to know these breakthroughs are happening.

“There is still a risk that McKenzie-Blu could relapse, even though he is doing really well, so it is a comfort to know that there might be other options out there in the future that we never had before.

“I am proud that it is scientists so close to home that have done this work and with the great oncology team we have in Southampton, I hope they work together to help make this happen.”

The study was funded by Cancer Research UK, Wessex Cancer Trust, and Wessex Medical Research.