Doctor, 57, with ‘worst of the worst’ brain tumour is cancer-free after world-first treatment based on OWN breakthrough
Watch Prof Richard talk about this risky and untested treatment that could have shortened his life - or made it a whole lot worse
A DOCTOR has revealed he has been cancer-free for a year after undergoing a world-first treatment based on his own breakthrough research.
Professor Richard Scolyer was diagnosed with incurable grade 4 brain cancer after having a seizure in Poland last year.
This type of cancer, known as glioblastoma, is so aggressive that the average survival rate is around 12 months.
“Unfortunately for me, I’ve got one of the worst of the worst brain cancers, which doesn’t have a cure,” Professor Richard told last year.
“I’m not happy to accept that, I want to do something that gives me a fighting chance against this tumour,” he added.
The 57-year-old underwent an experimental therapy based on his own research on melanoma, a type of cancer that starts in the skin.
On Monday, he wrote on to say he had an MRI scan last week, and there was still no sign of recurrence.
“I’m just thrilled and delighted…I couldn’t be happier”, he said.
Prof Scolyer collaborated with his colleague and friend, Professor Georgina Long, who are both co-directors of the Melanoma Institute Australia.
I’m the best I have felt for yonks
Professor Richard Scolyer
The team used a treatment based on immunotherapy, which teaches the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells.
Research on melanoma showed immunotherapy works better when a combination of drugs is administered before the surgery to remove a tumour.
Prof Scolyer became the first brain cancer patient in the world to have pre-surgery, combination immunotherapy.
FUTURE TREATMENT
He told the : “I’m the best I have felt for yonks.”
“It certainly doesn’t mean that my brain cancer is cured… but it’s just nice to know that it hasn’t come back yet, so I’ve still got some more time to enjoy my life with my wife Katie and my three wonderful kids.”
Around 300,000 people worldwide are thought to be affected by glioblastoma.
The hope is that this experimental treatment will extend Prof Richard’s life and open the doors for clinical trials for other patients.
Prof Georgina said, “We’ve generated a whole heap of data to make a foundation for that next step so that we can help more people.
“We’re not there yet.
“What we have to really focus on is showing that this pre-surgery, combination immunotherapy type of approach works in a large number of people.”
Both Prof Richard and Prof Georgina were named “Australian of the Year” earlier this year for their life-saving work on melanoma treatments.
Dr Roger Stupp, after whom the current protocol for treating glioblastomas is named, previously described Prof Richard’s prognosis as “grim” and that it was too early to tell if the treatment is working.
He said he wanted to see him reach 12 months, even 18, without recurrence before getting excited.
HOW COMMON ARE BRAIN TUMOURS?
Around 2,000 Australians and 12,300 Brits are diagnosed with a brain or other central nervous system or intracranial tumour every year.
Doctors can test for the disease with MRI or CT scans, as well as neurological examinations and biopsies.
The main treatments are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, as well as supportive treatments to ease symptoms.
Signs depend on where tumours are located on the brain and can often be missed at the early stages of the disease when it is easier to treat.
They include headaches, seizures, nausea, behavioural changes, vision or speech problems and weakness that gets worse over time.
WHAT IS A GLIOBLASTOMA?
Glioblastomas are the most common cancerous brain tumours in adults.
They are fast growing and likely to spread.
Glioblastomas’ cause is unknown, but if mutations result in cells growing uncontrollably and forming a tumour, they may be related to a sufferer’s genes.
Treatment is usually surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible, followed by a combination of radio- and chemotherapy (chemoradiation).
It can be difficult to remove all of the growth as glioblastomas have tendrils that extend to other regions of the brain. These are targeted via chemoradiation.
Glioblastomas are often resistant to treatment as they are usually made up of different types of cells.
Therefore, medication will kill off some cells and not others.
The average survival time is between 12 and 18 months.
Symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of balance
- Mood swings
- Problems speaking
- Problems with memory or concentration
- Seizures
- Impaired vision
Source: The Brain Tumour Charity