‘I might only have two years’: Cancer patient celebrates eight years after life-changing trial
Pensioner told he had two years to live is still alive eight years later after Leeds-backed cancer trial
A University of Leeds-backed cancer trial has helped a pensioner who was given two years to live after being diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer survive eight years and counting.
Ken Theobold, 76, said he is now able to enjoy travelling in his motorhome and spending time with his grandchildren after receiving drugs tailored to his disease as part of the trial.
The study, led by experts at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and involving researchers from the University of Leeds, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and hospitals across the UK, investigated precision treatment for people with newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma.
He was given five drugs at the start of the trial and now remains on two.
Mr Theobold said: “After my diagnosis, I was told that I might only have two years to live, which was incredibly difficult to hear.
“Joining the trial was an absolute no-brainer. If there was a chance it could help me and help future patients, I wanted to be part of it.
“When I first joined the trial, I was taking five different drugs, which was quite intense but I have since moved to the maintenance part of the trial which only involves two drugs.
“Today, I’m able to enjoy life with my wife, Brenda. We love travelling in our motorhome, and spending time with our five grandchildren is what matters most.”
ICR chief executive Professor Kristian Helin said: “These results are a powerful example of how understanding the biology of cancer can transform patient outcomes.
“By matching treatment to the molecular features of each person’s disease, we are beginning to outsmart cancers that were once extremely difficult to treat – and high-risk myeloma has long been one of the hardest to treat effectively.”
Dr Sophie Castell, chief executive at blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said: “Identifying which patients are more likely to benefit from a personalised approach to treatment has been shown to keep myeloma at bay longer and give people a better chance to live well with their disease.”
Around 5,900 people are diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a cancer of the plasma cells – each year in the UK. Around a quarter of these have aggressive disease which responds poorly to conventional treatment.