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Alex Greene is currently in remission from cancer
Alex Green is clear – without immunotherapy he would have died in 2019.
His advanced melanoma skin cancer was stopped only by an innovative treatment that mobilizes the body’s own immune system to fight the disease.
Unfortunately, at present, the majority of cancer patients do not benefit from immunotherapy.
Many people have flare-ups or experience serious side effects, such as painful inflammation of the intestines, skin, and lungs.
So now a new multi-million pound research program aims to find out why at least half of all patients do not respond to immunotherapy or suffer debilitating side effects.
Alex, now 42, was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2012.
He was treated with surgery, but three years later the disease had spread to his lymph nodes.
Alex underwent several surgeries to remove the tumor, followed by postoperative radiation therapy and then immunotherapy.
“I finished radiation therapy and the scans were clear, but within two years the cancer returned,” he said.
“I was offered immunotherapy, which completely saved my life.
“Without that, I would have passed away in 2019, leaving behind my wife and two children, ages 4 and 7 at the time.
“It was a life-changing treatment for me. I am now eight years into complete remission and have been able to lead a normal, active life.”
But Surrey-based lawyer Alex warns that treatment will not be easy.
“The results of the treatment were amazing, but they also came with some difficult challenges,” he says.
“I had some pretty serious side effects and ended up in the hospital for two weeks.
“I fully understand that it is important to study and understand the side effects of immunotherapy in order to make the treatment effective and as gentle as possible.”
Professor Samra Turajlic will lead the project at the Francis Crick Institute’s Biomedical Research Institute.
The research project involves 16 academic institutions, NHS trusts and health boards across the UK, working with 12 bioscience and technology companies.
One issue researchers are focusing on is the lack of testable and usable biomarkers. Biomarkers are small molecules that can tell doctors whether a person is likely to benefit from a particular drug.
Identifying these biomarkers could be useful in two ways. Both have the potential to select the patients most likely to benefit and to open up new treatments such as vaccines and cell therapies.
The project will involve 3,000 patients who have already completed treatment and a further 3,000 patients starting treatment for breast, bladder, kidney and skin cancers across the UK.
Other forms of cancer may be added as research progresses.
Professor Samra Turajlic, a cancer specialist at the Royal Marsden Hospital, will lead the project at the Francis Crick Institute in London.
Professor Turajlic said cancer treatment using immunotherapy has made great progress in recent years.
“We still have many patients undertreated because of treatment failures and side effects,” she says.
“The UK has a unique opportunity to meet this challenge, particularly given our NHS.
“Studies of this scale not only bring us one step closer to better tests in the clinic, but also accelerate further discoveries in cancer immunology and new treatments.
“Ultimately, we want to accelerate the delivery of personalized medicine for diseases that affect huge numbers of people across the UK every year.”
“virtuous cycle”
Funding for the project comes from a variety of sources, including £9 million from the Government-run Life Sciences Agency and the Medical Research Council, which support research and innovation to improve healthcare in the UK. A further £12.9m will be provided by industry.
The project is part of a wider £145m commitment by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to support cancer diagnosis and treatment, and is supported by Peter Kyle, Minister for Science and Technology.
“Cancer is a disease that has brought pain, misery and heartbreak to every family in this country, including my family,” he said.
“But by working with the NHS, researchers and business, the Government can use science and innovation to bring the detection and treatment of this terrible disease firmly into the 21st century, keeping more families together for longer. You can keep it.
“British scientists, researchers and industry leaders have great ideas that will not only boost our health, but also our economy, and we are calling for further investment in both health and research. This will create a virtuous cycle and ultimately promote economic growth.” Raise living standards. ”
