The notorious drug thalidomide may be an effective treatment for an incurable blood cancer, research has found.

Patients with multiple myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow, benefited from doses of the drug taken as part of a study in the US.

The research, funded by the Celgene Corporation, which produces thalidomide under the brand name Thalomid, and carried out at the University of South California, recorded significant reductions in abnormal protein levels for 27 of 84 volunteers.

In two cases, patients had compete remission, and 58% of volunteers were still alive after one year, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

There are estimated to be around 14,000 myeloma sufferers in the UK at any one time, with 3,500 new cases a year.

Thalidomide caused severe birth defects

Dr Seema Singhal, who led the study, said the use of thalidomide caused "substantial anti-tumour activity in patients with advanced myeloma". She suggested the treatment could be even more effective if administered alongside conventional chemotherapy.

Thalidomide, one of the most controversial drugs ever produced because of the defects it caused in the arms and legs of foetuses, has restored its reputation to some extent as doctors have found it may be useful for treating leprosy.

Its use in the treatment of multiple myeloma caused some side effects, including weakness, fatigue and constipation.

But the researchers described the majority of reactions as "mild or moderate".

Daily inquiries

The International Myeloma Foundation (UK) said it was receiving daily inquiries about thalidomide's usefulness in treating the disease.

Executive director of the organisation Eric Low said it was "early days" but that the results of the South California study were "consistent with what we have been hearing".

"This is the most exciting thing to hit myeloma in a long time," he said.

The past reputation of thalidomide is not considered to be a major stumbling block to the use of the drug in treating myeloma as most people who develop the disease are beyond child-bearing age.

There are hopes that while the current studies are only proposing a treatment to alleviate the disease, they may lead in future to a cure.