HOUSTON -- A study shows that a new drug could be very promising for cancer patients, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.

The study by King's College London showed Olaparib could be especially good for those with genetic cancer. The drug targets and kills cancer cells and leaves healthy cells intact when used as treatment for genetic cancer.

Researchers studied the drug on 54 women with advanced genetic breast cancer and found the drug stopped the growth of the tumors, or shrunk them, in 40 percent of the cases.

"This drug, which has few side affects -- no nausea, no vomiting, no hair loss -- can be given as a tablet to a patient," said Dr. Jenny Chang with the Baylor College of Medicine.

Radiation and chemotherapy are known to be very painful, physically and emotionally, for cancer patients. Chang said this new drug would result in just the opposite.

"The hope is in the near future, in the next few years, we may actually be able to replace chemotherapy with targeted therapy directed against the gene that causes the cancer to grow," said Chang.

Chang suggested to contact your doctor to find out about clinical trials using this drug.