A Dundee patient is the first in Europe to receive a cancer treatment that uses similar technology to a Covid vaccine.
Jennifer Robertson, 59, from Broughty Ferry, who is undergoing treatment for gastro-oesophageal cancer, received the personalised cancer therapy – which was developed by pharmaceutical companies Moderna and MSD – on Thursday.
This mRNA therapy – which is similar to the Covid-19 mRNA jab – has only been given to four other people with this cancer type globally so far.
The components are designed against each patient’s tumour.
Cancer trial held in 38 centres around the world
An individualised therapy – administered as an injection – is then created to enable the patient’s immune system to attack and destroy the tumour cells.
Tayside Cancer Centre, run by Dundee University and NHS Tayside, is one of 38 cancer centres around the world running the trial, which is also being used on people with a type of lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Jennifer will receive up to nine doses alongside traditional treatments like surgery and chemotherapy.
Jennifer said: “I’m excited and privileged to be the first person in Europe to have this treatment, that’s really something special.”
Jennifer was diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal cancer in July after suffering acid reflux and food travelling back up her oesophagus after eating.
She said: “I’d had two endoscopies and a CT scan done so I’d heard the word cancer many times before I was given my diagnosis, but it was still a shock.
“There is only one outcome for me and that is that I’m going to overcome it and beat it – it’s a very positive fight and I’m going to get through it.
“Anything I can do along the way to help cancer research, I’m happy to do.”
‘Novel’ injection ‘could transform the way we treat cancer’
Only 20 patients around the world with this type of cancer will receive the therapy during the phase one clinical trial.
Russell Petty, professor of medical oncology at the university and director of research and development at NHS Tayside, is leading the clinical trial in Scotland.
He said: “This is a very novel treatment approach which could transform the way we treat cancer, and these trials are the beginning of that journey.
“Every patient who this works for provides us with more knowledge to improve the way we treat cancer.”
Conversation