Man given 12 months to live is now cancer free after drug trial

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By James Kay

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A man who was given just 12 months to live after being diagnosed with cancer has now received the all-clear after a successful new drug trial.

Robert Glynn, 51, from Salford, UK, visited his doctor in 2020 when he was suffering from severe shoulder pain and was informed he had a form of bile duct cancer, per the BBC.

Doctors were initially stumped at the cause of the shoulder pain and Glynn underwent scans and blood tests to get to the root of the problem.

The life-threatening disease was found by chance after he got an infection in his gallbladder, and he was informed he had cancer the day before his 49th birthday.

The cancer was at an advanced stage and had already spread to his adrenal gland, meaning Glynn was given a year to live.

He was referred to The Christie in Manchester - one of the largest cancer treatment centers in Europe - and was offered the chance to participate in a trial of a new immunotherapy drug.

"Given the option to take part in research, I jumped at the chance," Glynn told the BBC. "You do anything you can to extend your life."

Combined with regular chemotherapy treatment, Glynn showed signs of progression in his battle with cancer before he was informed that the tumor in his liver had shrunk from 4.7 inches to 1 inch, and the one in his adrenal gland shrank from 2.7 inches to 1.6 inches.

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The Christie Hospital where the trial treatment took place. Credit: Chris Bull / Alamy

Due to the shrinking of the tumors, surgeons were able to operate on Glynn to remove the cancerous growths and while operating they found only dead tissue - meaning the treatment had successfully killed off the cancer cells.

Since the operation, Glynn has had multiple scans that show the cancer has not returned, and he has been given a clean bill of health.

Professor Juan Valle - who ran the trial - said the research had been "keenly anticipated by colleagues worldwide as it could lead to a change in how we treat patients like [Glynn] in the future."

He added: "[Glynn] has done very well on this combination due to his tumor having... a high number of genetic mutations. Most patients with this diagnosis do not have as many mutations in their cancer cells, so the treatment won't be as effective, but it does highlight the importance of personalized medicine."

Since being given the all-clear, Glynn has made several lifestyle changes and adopted a healthier way of living, including cutting out all processed food.

"When something like this happens, you realize life is for living," he concluded.

Featured image credit: Mark Waugh / Alamy

Man given 12 months to live is now cancer free after drug trial

vt-author-image

By James Kay

Article saved!Article saved!

A man who was given just 12 months to live after being diagnosed with cancer has now received the all-clear after a successful new drug trial.

Robert Glynn, 51, from Salford, UK, visited his doctor in 2020 when he was suffering from severe shoulder pain and was informed he had a form of bile duct cancer, per the BBC.

Doctors were initially stumped at the cause of the shoulder pain and Glynn underwent scans and blood tests to get to the root of the problem.

The life-threatening disease was found by chance after he got an infection in his gallbladder, and he was informed he had cancer the day before his 49th birthday.

The cancer was at an advanced stage and had already spread to his adrenal gland, meaning Glynn was given a year to live.

He was referred to The Christie in Manchester - one of the largest cancer treatment centers in Europe - and was offered the chance to participate in a trial of a new immunotherapy drug.

"Given the option to take part in research, I jumped at the chance," Glynn told the BBC. "You do anything you can to extend your life."

Combined with regular chemotherapy treatment, Glynn showed signs of progression in his battle with cancer before he was informed that the tumor in his liver had shrunk from 4.7 inches to 1 inch, and the one in his adrenal gland shrank from 2.7 inches to 1.6 inches.

size-full wp-image-1263186835
The Christie Hospital where the trial treatment took place. Credit: Chris Bull / Alamy

Due to the shrinking of the tumors, surgeons were able to operate on Glynn to remove the cancerous growths and while operating they found only dead tissue - meaning the treatment had successfully killed off the cancer cells.

Since the operation, Glynn has had multiple scans that show the cancer has not returned, and he has been given a clean bill of health.

Professor Juan Valle - who ran the trial - said the research had been "keenly anticipated by colleagues worldwide as it could lead to a change in how we treat patients like [Glynn] in the future."

He added: "[Glynn] has done very well on this combination due to his tumor having... a high number of genetic mutations. Most patients with this diagnosis do not have as many mutations in their cancer cells, so the treatment won't be as effective, but it does highlight the importance of personalized medicine."

Since being given the all-clear, Glynn has made several lifestyle changes and adopted a healthier way of living, including cutting out all processed food.

"When something like this happens, you realize life is for living," he concluded.

Featured image credit: Mark Waugh / Alamy