Stephen Brown was only too aware of the life-saving work done by the medics at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester – his mum, dad and aunt were treated by cancer specialists at the hospital.
After his own diagnosis of throat and tonsil cancer last August, noticing a strange sensation in his throat, the 54-year-old truck driver was only too happy to imagine a possible cause. Suspend the clinical trial.
Mr. Brown, the father of one of the children from Poynton, Cheshire, was one of the first patients in the world to take part in a study conducted by researchers at the Christie Institute to measure the amount of oxygen in his tumor.
“I was devastated to hear the news that I had been diagnosed with cancer,” Brown said.
“In September, I was referred to The Christie for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. My mom, dad and aunt were treated at The Christie so I knew it was a world class restaurant and I was in the right place to be seen by the right people. I felt in safe hands and received the best treatment available.”
Tumors without oxygen, known as hypoxic cancer, are more difficult to successfully treat, especially when radiation therapy is given. It is hoped that by measuring the amount of oxygen in the tumor in real time, it will be possible to change the treatment of cancer in order to more effectively target hypoxic tumors.
Mr. Brown is one of 11 patients with head and neck cancer who participated in the study. The breakthrough combines two cutting-edge technologies: The research team has adapted an advanced Christie MRI linear accelerator to measure the oxygen content of tumors. MR Linac combines an MRI scanner with cancer-inducing radiation therapy to provide incredibly accurate treatment.
“During one of my first visits, I was greeted by a doctor. John Gaffney to see if I’m interested in participating in the study,” Mr. Brown said. “He explained that they wanted to combine conventional MRI with oxygen administration, hoping to learn more about cancer and treat it better. After losing my mother and father to cancer, I wanted to do something to help people in the future.
“I agreed to do a voluntary MRI. The first was when I started my radiation therapy, then one when I was halfway through, and one when my treatment was over.
Mr. Brown first inhaled room air through a mask and then pure oxygen to flush the tumor with gas. It was scanned on the MR-Linac instrument and maps of the oxygen content were created. This technique, called oxygen-enhanced MRI, shows which parts of the tumor contain little oxygen and are likely to be resistant to radiation therapy.
This technology provides an additional tool to support physicians in several ways: patients can be organized for treatment by determining their level of risk based on oxygen levels, more appropriate treatments can be selected, and consultants can determine who is responding well and who is not. and who do not provide you with adequate care.
Professor James O’Connor, senior team leader at Christie, the University of Manchester and the Institute for Cancer Research, who led the study, said: “Any toxic treatment [radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy] treatment that does not help may be discontinued and an alternative treatment added or used instead. The main goal of research is to improve the prognosis for patients, but it could also lead to improved quality of life if clinicians can prevent unnecessary toxicity during treatment.”
Mr Brown said: “Although I will not directly benefit from this study, I know that participating in it will help cancer patients in the future, which is great. Only people who have historically volunteered in clinical trials have allowed doctors and scientists to develop the cancer treatments we have today.
“My last treatment was on 11/11/2022, after which I felt very tired and could not eat or drink properly. My taste buds stopped working and I craved the taste of a cup of filter coffee. I had a PET [Positron emission tomography scans are used to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the inside of the body] recently, but the result was inconclusive as my throat is still very sore, so I’m due for another scan soon.
“I returned to work in January and now feel much better and eat well again. My boss at work has always been great, as have all my family and friends.
Professor O’Connor said: “While it is clear that much remains to be done, we are very excited about the potential of this technology to provide daily monitoring of tumor oxygen, and we hope to soon reach the point where the technology does this. a guide for oncologists on how best to deliver radiation therapy.
“This imaging allows us to look inside the tumor and helps us understand why some cancer patients require additional stimulation to receive effective treatment. This is an important step towards the goal of changing treatment based on biology imaging.”
Michael Dubeck, Clinical MRI Specialist at Christie and The University of Manchester said: “The MR Linear Accelerator is an exciting technology that combines high fidelity imaging and radiotherapy with real-time imaging. We are very excited about the first human application of Oxygen Enhanced MRI, developed as a result of a multidisciplinary team working across the country.”
Two additional MRIs with oxygen support will be performed at the MRI accelerator at The Christie. The Bio-CHECC study will focus on patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, while the Hydrogen study will conduct imaging of patients with advanced prostate cancer.
The research team said that all patients interested in participating in clinical trials should discuss this option with their consultant or family physician. Not all patients will meet the criteria for a particular study, they say, and while clinical trials may be successful for some patients, results may vary from case to case.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.