Canberra researchers are preparing to trial an old drug on a new problem, saying it could kick the legs out from under cancer and expand treatment options.

The non-toxic drug dichloroacetate (DCA) is cheaper than rival drugs, has few side effects and has been credited with depriving cancer cells of their drive to grow.

A clinical trial is expected to start in January on myeloma patients at The Canberra Hospital and will run alongside further laboratory studies at the Australian National University (ANU).

It is hoped any success from the trial will also benefit patients with other types of cancer.

The ANU said about 1,200 Australians were diagnosed with myeloma each year, treatment options were limited and survival time was usually between three to five years.

Cancer researcher Anneke Blackburn from the ANU's John Curtin School of Medical Research said the drug would target cancer's "sweet spot" and manipulate the cell's hunger for glucose.

"We're able to treat the cancer cells with this drug and essentially make them a bit more normal," she said.

"That stops them from growing and also makes them a lot more likely to die when you treat them with other toxic drugs."

Dr Blackburn said cancer cells used their glucose in a different way to normal cells.

"Most normal cells in our body need a lot of energy to do things, whereas cancer cells are more focused on actually making new cells and dividing, that's why the tumour grows," she said.

"Cancer cells rather than just needing energy, also need building blocks, a bit like bricks versus electricity, and if you make it harder for them to make their bricks then they can't grow."

Researchers have set out to work on the theory that once the cells' growth has been stunted, regular cancer drugs will have an easier time killing it off.

"In particular we like to try and kick them with a second drug that might hit on the other part of the metabolism, that is the bit that makes their energy," Dr Blackburn said.

"So we kick them one way and them make them jump on the other leg and kick that leg as well."

Trial results could translate to other cancers

Lab studies have already shown DCA's effectiveness on breast cancer cells and researchers have expressed hope the clinical trial will lead to broader successes.

"The phenomena of the difference in energy metabolism between cancer cells and normal cells, that's very wide spread," Dr Blackburn said.

"So potentially it can be used against other cancer types as well."

She said that using DCA in combination with existing drugs had the potential to reduce toxic side-effects of the treatment, without loss of effectiveness.

DCA was chosen as the best drug for the trial because results could be measured within three months.

The drug has been used for many years to treat patients with rare metabolic disorders.