Stronger than anticipated results in treating liver cancer from a key clinical trial by cancer treatment specialist Sirtex helped the shares recover some of their recent losses on the partial release of results from the same research trial.

Shares in the company surged by 28 per cent to close at $27 with more than 5.5 per cent of the shares changing hands.

The shares are still well clear of their closing high of $39.13 which was touched mid-March, soon before the release of partial data from a key clinical trial which is aimed at boosting the use of its treatment from a salvage therapy to a primary treatment for liver cancer.

In March, Sirtex disclosed that results from its so-called Sirflox trial had shown little improvement in overall survival for cancer patients treated with the company's radioactive spheres, which was the primary aim of the study. But on Thursday, further details from the same trial has demonstrated the efficacy of its treatment in cases of liver cancer, which was the secondary target of the trial.

For more details, go to: http://www.smh.com.au/business/sirtex-medical-shares-surge-on-liver-cancer-trial-results-and-strong-sales-20150514-gh1blm.html