In a remarkable development, a man's brain tumour shrank by half within weeks after undergoing a new form of radioactive therapy. Paul Read, 62, from Luton, became the first participant in a trial targeting glioblastoma, a typically fatal cancer with an average survival rate of 18 months, the BBC reported.
Conducted at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), the therapy involved injecting low levels of radioactivity directly into the tumour to eliminate cancer cells. Dr Paul Mulholland, the trial's designer, described the results as "remarkable" given the aggressive nature of Read's tumour.
Surgeons initially removed as much of the tumour as possible, then implanted an Ommaya reservoir-a small medical device under the scalp. The treatment, ATT001, is administered weekly for four to six weeks and works by delivering potent, localised radioactivity, damaging cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Mr Read first experienced symptoms last December, including a severe headache and facial drooping. After surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, doctors discovered his tumour was regrowing in July and offered him a place in the new CITADEL-123 trial at UCLH.
"I fully expected the tumour to come back due to its aggressive nature. I was open to trying anything else," Read said. "I'm not afraid of any of this. We all have a hand of cards to play, and you don't know which ones you'll get. It'll be wonderful if this helps me, and if it doesn't, it may help someone else."
Dr. Mulholland explained that the targeted approach allowed the drug to be highly effective against the cancer cells. He added that while this is an initial human study with cautious dosing, they plan to increase the radiation levels and number of participants in the future.
