Cancer patient William Bennett at The Christie (Image: The Christie)
A leukaemia patient told the Daily Express of his six-year cancer-free miracle, thanks to a new drug trial offering fresh hope to new sufferers.
Grandad William Bennett, 69, was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) 12 years ago, a type of blood cancer where the body produces too many abnormal white blood cells.
But six years ago his condition worsened and was offered the chance to join the UK-wide FLAIR trial, combining targeted drugs venetoclax and ibrutinib – that block chemical signals telling the cancer to grow.
And incredibly his trial at The Christie in Manchester, made his dangerous lymphocyte count plummet – and within three months it had returned to normal levels for someone his age.
For the last three years the health of William, of Stockport, is so normal tests show he has no evidence of any disease whatsoever.
The landmark FLAIR trial, led by the University of Leeds, now offers huge hope to other CLL sufferers who have yet to have any treatments.
Cancer patient William Bennett at The Christie (Image: The Christie)
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Thrilled William told the Daily Express: “When you first hear that you’ve got cancer, it’s really scary, but I know my team at The Christie are with me every step of the way.
“My family and the people I work for were also brilliant, their support has meant the world to me. When I was told I could go on the trial, I felt like I’d won the lottery.
“The treatment made me feel a bit weak, but apart from that, I had no side-effects.
“I could live my life as normal and do all the things I love, including spending time with my two daughters and watching my granddaughter play football.
“Now that I’m three years on, I still feel so lucky. I can’t thank my team at The Christie for what they’ve done for me.”
CLL is often picked up incidentally and many patients have few if any symptoms when they are diagnosed. In William’s case, it discovered by chance after having a blood test as part of treatment for a prolapsed disc.
The FLAIR clinical trial has been taking place at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist cancer centre in Manchester.
The aim of the trial was to see whether newer targeted drugs were more effective than existing chemotherapy in treating people with CLL who had had no previous treatment.
Cancer patient William Bennett at The Christie (Image: The Christie)
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The results showed that the combination of venetoclax and ibrutinib increased the time that people lived without their cancer progressing and improved overall survival, with more than 19 in 20 patients in remission three years after starting treatment
As well as being highly effective, the combination was generally well tolerated and not associated with some of the serious side effects that can be caused by chemotherapy.
This not only results in a better quality of life for patients, but it also means that older people, who may not have been able to tolerate the previous drugs, can now receive more effective treatment.
Professor Adrian Bloor, consultant haematologist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and principal investigator of the FLAIR trial, said: “According to Cancer Research UK, incidence rates for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in the UK are highest in people aged 85 to 89.
“Wherever possible, we want to be able to offer patients personalised treatments that not only effectively attack the cancer, but also come with fewer side effects and are kinder on the body.
“This is especially important for older, frailer people who may not be able to tolerate chemotherapy.”
The study was a phase III randomised controlled trial for untreated CLL led by investigators at the University of Leeds.
Around 1500 people took part at more than 100 hospitals across the UK, including The Christie. It was funded by Cancer Research UK, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, and AbbVie Pharmaceutical Research and Development.
William’s trial medication was given as tablets taken every day at home. At the start of his treatment, he was monitored closely for any side effects but after the first few weeks on trial he only needed to come to The Christie every three months for a check-up.
FLAIR trial Chief Investigator Dr Talha Munir, Consultant in Clinical Haematology at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “William’s story shows that fantastic advances are being made in cancer research all the time, thanks to trials such as ours.
“We’re very proud of the results of FLAIR, which has made such a difference to William’s life, and other patients’ lives, too.
“Today’s cancer treatments are not just about saving lives, they are about preserving quality of life too, and FLAIR did just that for the patients taking part.”
Dr Iain Foulkes, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, said: “William’s story shows how effective tailored cancer treatment can be.
“The results of the FLAIR trial have shown that we can provide treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia which is kinder and offers people more precious time with their loved ones.
“We’re hopeful that the results of the FLAIR trial will power new treatment options for leukaemia and other blood cancers, thanks to the efforts of researchers at The Christie, Leeds and across the UK working together on this trial.”
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The Christie’s Professor Adrian Bloor (Image: The Christie)
By Professor Adrian Bloor, consultant haematologist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
“When people hear the words ‘cancer drugs’, they probably immediately think of chemotherapy.
“Although chemotherapy drugs can be very effective, they don’t discriminate between cancerous cells and other healthy cells that are also constantly growing and dividing – such as hair and skin cells – and often come with side effects such as nausea, tiredness, and hair loss.
“Thanks to advances in DNA testing, we now understand much more about the different characteristics of someone’s individual cancer, such as what genetic mutations it has.
“This has meant that we’ve been able to design drugs to specifically target those characteristics and, as a result, there is less damage to healthy tissue and fewer side effects.
“Cancer is complex, so there are many different types of targeted treatments. Venetoclax and ibrutinib – two of the drugs we use to treat CLL – work by blocking the chemical signals that tell the cancer to grow.
“Clinical trials represent the cornerstone of how we can develop personalised therapies to improve cancer treatments.
“It’s been fantastic to see how well William has done following his participation in the FLAIR trial and this is a great example of how we can now offer more people effective therapy whilst allowing them to live their lives in full.”