Patients sought for new NHS trial for brain cancer after man sees tumour vanish
People diagnosed with deadly glioblastoma will receive immunotherapy with the drug ipilimumab before undergoing standard treatment, when their immune system is at its strongest.
The trial, from University College London Hospital's National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, follows a previous one on the same drug which closed because of lack of recruitment.
One patient from that trial, Ben Trotman, is still showing no signs of glioblastoma following the treatment – well over two years since he got the drug in a world first. Most people with glioblastoma die within 12-18 months.
Mr Trotman was diagnosed with glioblastoma in October 2022, when he was 40.
Now aged 43 and two years and eight months on from having the treatment, his scans are clear and there are no signs of tumour.
Consultant medical oncologist, Dr Paul Mulholland, who is leading the new trial and treated Mr Trotman, said: 'It is very unusual to have a clear scan with glioblastoma, especially when he didn't have the follow-up surgery that had been planned to remove all of the tumour that was initially visible on scans.
'We hope that the immunotherapy and follow-up treatment Ben has had will hold his tumour at bay – and it has so far, which we are delighted to see.'
Mr Trotman got married to Emily two months after the immunotherapy treatment and in April, his daughter Mabel was born.
Mrs Trotman said: 'Getting this diagnosis was the most traumatic experience. We were grappling with the fact that Ben had gone from being apparently perfectly healthy to having months to live.
'Had we not met Dr Mulholland, that would have been it for us. We felt we had a lucky break in an otherwise devastating situation.'
Mr Trotman went on to have the current standard treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He has quarterly scans, which continue to be clear.
Mr Trotman said: 'We obviously don't know what the future holds but having had the immunotherapy treatment and getting these encouraging scan results has given Emily and I a bit of hope.
'We are focused on rebuilding the life we thought we had lost and enjoying being parents.'
Dame Siobhain McDonagh MP led a fundraising campaign to raise more than £1 million to cover the costs of the new trial.
Her sister, Baroness McDonagh, died from glioblastoma in 2023.
Dame Siobhain said: 'My beloved sister Margaret was appalled to discover that there had been no advances in brain cancer treatment for decades when she was diagnosed with glioblastoma.
'Changing this was Margaret's final campaign and one that I have continued in her memory.
'I am so grateful to the many people who knew and respected Margaret who have come together and helped to raise funds and campaign for this new trial that we are calling Margaret's Trial.'
Dr Paul Mulholland said: 'When I met Margaret she said to me 'what can I do to support you to cure this disease?'.
'I am incredibly grateful to her and to Siobhain whose campaigning and fundraising in her sister's memory has led to this new clinical trial opening for patients with this most aggressive form of brain cancer that has such a poor prognosis, with most patients surviving just nine months after diagnosis.
'The crucial element of this trial is that patients will have their immune system boosted by the drug before they have any other treatment, when they are fit and well enough to tolerate the immunotherapy.
'We're taking everything we have learned from previous trials into this new study and we are already planning follow-on trials.
'My aim is to find a cure for glioblastoma.'
The National Brain Appeal is currently funding two posts in support of Dr Mulholland's research.
Treatment will take place at the NIHR UCLH's Clinical Research Facility and at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Patients interested in the new Win-Glio trial should discuss it with their consultant.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
12 minutes ago
- The Sun
Cancer devastated me – but I started shaking when I realised my 20-year-old TATTOO could be to blame
THE row of hearts tattooed around Melanie Rushforth's left arm symbolises her love for her family. Her mum Margaret, whose middle name was Rose, is remembered by a flower on her right shoulder. Melanie, 58, has been getting inked for 20 years - but regrets it all, knowing what she does now. 8 The administrator is midway through treatment for lymphoma – a type of blood cancer. In March, a study by the University of Southern Denmark found a link between tattoos and an increased risk of developing blood cancers, including lymphoma. In fact, the increased risk could be as much as 170 per cent, something Melanie wasn't aware of during her various tatts between 2005 and 2016. It was only after being diagnosed in April that she became aware of the connection. 'In February I noticed a lump on my neck,' Melanie, who is married to Ian, 62, an HGV driver, tells Sun Health. 'At first, I didn't think much of it. But I have an underactive thyroid, so I decided to get it checked just in case. 'The doctor didn't seem too concerned. He ordered some blood tests and told me to come back in four weeks if the lump didn't go down. 'The blood tests were fine; he thought it might have been glandular fever, but that came back negative. 'By the time the four weeks were up, the lump had gone, so I didn't go back.' But two weeks later, Melanie's lump returned - much bigger and more painful than before - so she made another appointment with her GP. People with tattoos have a 21% higher risk of lymphoma blood cancer - even if they're tiny, study suggests 'I thankfully saw the same doctor, and that's when he first mentioned the possibility of cancer,' she says. 'He said it might be nothing but sent me for an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy.' The scans showed Melanie had lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that originates in the lymphatic system. 'I was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma – DLBCL,' she says. One of the main symptoms of Melanie's condition is swollen lymph nodes, but others include pain in the tummy, chest or bone, night sweats, a high temperature and unexplained weight loss. Melanie, who works at the University of Lincoln, says: 'It's in one spot on my neck and classified as stage one. 'Thankfully, it was caught early so I'm on a chemotherapy regimen called R-CHOP which is six sessions, one every three weeks. 'I had my third session on June 30 and treatment should finish by late August or early September, when I might switch to radiotherapy depending on how things go.' While Melanie's consultant told her not to turn to Google to check her diagnosis, it was while researching the condition she found the link between tattoos and cancer. The latest study, published in BMC Public Health, analysed the health data of 5,900 twins born between 1960 and 1996 up until 2017. Over the course of several decades, the risk of lymphoma - a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system - was found to be three times higher for those with large tatts. 'For larger tattoos – those bigger than the palm of a hand, the hazard was 140 per cent,' study author assistant professor Signe Bedsted Clemmensen said. 'We found that people with tattoos had a 60 per cent higher hazard – a measure of 'immediate risk' – of developing skin cancer compared to those without tattoos.' Prof Clemmensen says the study findings are a long time overdue. 'Our study found evidence of associations between having tattoos and development of lymphoma and skin cancer,' she says. 'While this doesn't prove causation, it highlights a potential health concern that warrants further investigation. 'It has long been known that tattoo ink doesn't just stay in the skin. It also accumulates in nearby lymph nodes.' 8 8 She explains that this is one of the potential mechanisms that could explain why tattoos might lead to cancer. 'Firstly, there are carcinogenic properties of substances used in tattoo ink,' Prof Clemmensen says. 'Secondly, we suspect that tattoo ink as a foreign substance can cause chronic inflammation in the lymph nodes, which over time can lead to abnormal cell growth and an increased risk of cancer. 'Despite repeated calls from health authorities for research into the potential long-term health effects of tattooing, there were no scientific studies addressing this issue when we began planning our study. 'That gap in knowledge is what prompted us to take a closer look.' What are the signs of lymphoma? LYMPHOMA is a term for cancer that starts in the lymph system - a network of vessels and glands that spans your body. There are two main kinds of lymphoma – Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Lymphoma can cause many different symptoms, depending on which type of lymphoma it is and where it develops in the body. The most typical signs are: Swollen lymph nodes, such as in the neck, armpit or groin area Night sweats Extreme tiredness Itching Unexplained weight loss Fever Excessive bleeding, such as nosebleeds, heavy periods and spots of blood under the skin Other signs of lymphoma in a more localised area include: Swelling of the stomach, loss of appetite and other abdominal symptoms Coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain Dr Rachel Orritt, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'There isn't enough evidence to say that tattoos increase people's cancer risk, and more research is needed. 'This is a difficult area to study, because there are lots of different possible ingredients in tattoo ink, making it tricky to understand the effects. 'If people are concerned about their cancer risk, there are proven steps they can take to reduce it. 'These include not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, and enjoying the sun safely.' For Melanie though, the realisations that her tattoos could have caused or contributed to her condition has been incredibly difficult to deal with. She says: 'My husband and I were searching everything, and I came across a couple of articles linking tattoos to lymphoma or blood cancers. It understandably really worried me. 'I have four tattoos and I'd planned to get another this year to cover a scar on my leg. 'I was shaking when I read those articles though. I started to wonder, 'Have I done this to myself?' 'It added a whole new layer of stress.' 'Like a phoenix rising from the ashes' While Melanie's diagnosis could be entirely coincidental, Prof Clemmensen suggests the research is too hard to ignore. She says more education is needed so people can make informed choices. 'Ultimately, it's a personal decision,' she says. 'Each individual must consider whether they're comfortable with the potential health risks associated with tattooing. 'As with smoking, alcohol consumption, or highly processed foods, it's important that people have access to reliable information. 'Our role as researchers is to provide that evidence so individuals – and policymakers – can make informed decisions.' Melanie had planned to get a post-cancer tattoo, which she is now scrapping. 'It was of a phoenix rising from the ashes,' she says. 'It felt symbolic - about survival, rebirth, and strength - but I won't get anything done for the foreseeable future – not after reading the study. 'I love body art. It's a personal expression, but I won't get any more tattoos.' 8 8
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
NHS: Strike-hit appointments to be rebooked in two weeks but will impact others
NHS England has said hospitals are aiming to reschedule appointments cancelled due to strikes within two weeks, but warned of knock-on impacts for other patients. Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England's co-national medical director (secondary care), said that despite the five-day walkout by thousands of resident doctors in England, which began on Friday, local trusts have managed to maintain services with 'minimal disruption'. She told BBC Breakfast: 'If there's any rescheduling or postponement of surgery or appointments then the hospitals try their upmost best to get that appointment rescheduled within two weeks. 'I know it is distressing and even two weeks is too long for somebody to wait and actually that has an impact on the people who who are then displaced at that two week period.' Prof Pandit said there were three 'derogations' granted on Friday, a process which allows hospitals to request striking doctors return to work if there is a risk to patient safety. Nottingham City Hospital reached an agreement with the British Medical Association (BMA) to exempt one doctor from the strike to work on the neonatal intensive care unit. A derogation was agreed for one doctor in the emergency department and another doctor in the ISGM at the Northern General Hospital. The BMA said it had also agreed a derogation for two anaesthetists to work at University Hospital Lewisham on Saturday to ensure patient safety. It comes as Wes Streeting said 'we are doing everything we can to minimise' patient harm. The Health Secretary condemned the strike as 'reckless' and said the Government would not allow the BMA to 'hold the country to ransom'. Sir Keir Starmer made a last-minute appeal to resident doctors, saying the strikes would 'cause real damage'. He added: 'Most people do not support these strikes. They know they will cause real damage… 'These strikes threaten to turn back the clock on progress we have made in rebuilding the NHS over the last year, choking off the recovery.' The BMA has argued that real-terms pay has fallen by around 20% since 2008, and is pushing for full 'pay restoration'.
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Woman given year to live after bombshell cancer diagnosis months after wedding
A Glasgow couple have been left devastated after a tragic cancer diagnosis just seven months after getting married Shweta Davis, 56, reached out to her former karate teacher Kenny Davis, 72, after she returned to Glasgow from decades abroad working as a scientific researcher. The pair quickly found love, and when the first covid lockdown was announced, just months after they started dating, Shweta, known to pals and family as Rimmy, moved in with Kenny in the countryside near Kirkintilloch. The loved-up pair married at Citation, in Glasgow's Merchant City, on Easter weekend 2023, and honeymooned at Lake Garda, Italy. But seven months later, days before their first Christmas as husband and wife, they received the heartbreaking news that Rimmy had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, reports Glasgow Live. Given just a year to live, she underwent surgery and intensive chemotherapy, butmedics found her type of cancer—known as platinum refractory—was not responding well to the treatment. Now, the couple are fundraising for a new treatment in London not yet available on the NHS. Kenny described the drug as a 'game-changer' that could afford Rimmy a good quality of life 'for years' — but the treatment costs a whopping £4,000 per month. Rimmy and her siblings began attending Kenny's karate classes in Glasgow in their late teens more than thirty years ago. However, the pair lost touch when Rimmy moved to the Netherlands and later to Finland to work as a medical researcher. After moving back to Glasgow, she came across Kenny's Facebook profile and messaged him, and they met up as friends for coffee and cinema trips. 'It was as though thirty years hadn't happened,' said Rimmy, with the pair quickly falling in love, saying: 'Everyone else could see it before us.' Kenny said: 'After a few of those dates, we both realised that maybe something a bit more interesting was going to happen.' They began dating around Christmas 2019 and, when the covid lockdown was announced just months later, Rimmy decided to move in with Kenny and his dog in Chryston, near Kirkintilloch. 'We've been inseparable ever since,' said Kenny. He added: 'Everything was looking fantastic, we were getting on really great and enjoying our lives together. And then, only seven months later, we got the devastating news.' Rimmy learned she had stage four ovarian cancer, and that she had just a year to live. This specific type of cancer, known as platinum refractory cancer, is not as responsive to traditional chemotherapy. She underwent surgery on the couple's first wedding anniversary and some of the tumour was removed, but surgeons could not completely remove the cancer. Kenny said: 'It has gone from bad to worse from there. She was undergoing weekly chemo for six months, and you can imagine how draining that was both physically and mentally, spending three days each week in the Beatson. In December 2024, Rimmy's chemotherapy was stopped as it was causing her unbearable side effects and having little effect on the cancer. A former medical research colleague told Rimmy about a new drug for platinum refractory cancers being trialled in the UK. Mirvetuximab Soravtansine was this week approved by the MHRA for use in the UK after earlier being approved by the FDA for use in the United States. The drug has not yet been approved by the NICE for use for NHS patients in England and Wales. If it is, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) will then decide on its use in Scotland. Until then, the couple must fund the life-prolonging treatment out of their own pockets but the treatment, which is given every three weeks, costs £3875, plus costs for travel to London and accommodation. The couple has raised almost £20,000 for the treatment with a fundraiser and Rimmy underwent her first round of treatment last week. Before starting the treatment, Rimmy was told by doctors that she has just months to live. Kenny said: 'But this drug is a game-changer, and she could potentially have a good quality of life for years, which is why we are desperate to have access to this for as long as possible. 'She's very upbeat and very positive, and she's doing everything she can.' At the start of the covid lockdown just months after they began dating, Rimmy left her Glasgow flat, which had no outdoor space, to move into Kenny's home out in the country near Kirkintilloch. Rimmy bought Kenny a vintage Volkswagen camper van after their honeymoon, and the pair planned to take it all across Europe. She said: 'But all this nonsense happened. Hopefully that will still happen. I keep teasing him that he thought he was getting a hot young wife, and now he's saddled with all this.'
