DNA damage is one of the foundational causes of cancer. But researchers have now found that deliberately causing DNA damage – by delivering additional treatments like radiotherapy – could improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy for some people with kidney cancer.

A type of drug used against ovarian and breast cancers could offer a brand new targeted approach for treating a range of cancers with particular genetic defects, including a common form of kidney cancer.

Chemotherapy halves the risk of a rare form of kidney cancer coming back after surgery, the largest ever trial conducted in the disease worldwide has found.