If it were not for immunotherapy, Aleks Grin would have died in 2019.
His advanced skin cancer was stopped only by a revolutionary treatment that stimulates his own immune system in the fight against the disease.
Unfortunately, at this time, many people with cancer do not respond positively to immunotherapy.
In many patients, the disease recurs, and in some, significant side effects occur, such as painful inflammation in the intestines, skin, or lungs.
The goal of the new research program, worth several million euros, is to find out why at least half of all patients do not respond to immunotherapy or suffer from debilitating side effects.
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Aleks was diagnosed with melanoma in 2012. He underwent surgery, but three years later the disease spread to his lymph nodes.
He underwent surgery several times to remove the tumor.
He was treated with radiotherapy and then with immunotherapy.
“I finished radiotherapy and my scans were clear, but my cancer came back in just under two years. "I was offered immunotherapy and it completely saved my life," said 42-year-old Green.
If there was no immunotherapy, "he would have died in 2019", at least that's what was assumed, leaving behind his wife and two children, aged four and seven at the time.
"That treatment changed my life, I've been in remission for eight years now and lead a normal and active life," he says.
But Aleks warns that the treatment is not simple.
"Although the results of the treatment were amazing, I faced some difficult challenges.
"There were significant side effects, which is why I was hospitalized for two weeks.
"I think it's important to research the side effects of immunotherapy to make the treatment as effective and better as possible," says the 42-year-old lawyer who lives in Surrey, in the south of England.
The research project involves 16 academic institutions, the National Health Service, health boards from across the UK, as well as 12 bioscience and technology companies.
Among other things, scientists will deal with the lack of tested and usable biomarkers.
These are tiny molecules that can indicate whether patients will benefit from a given drug or not.
Their identification could help in two ways: in selecting those patients on whom the medicine will most likely work, but also in setting up new treatments, such as vaccines and cell therapies.
The project will involve 3.000 patients who have already completed treatment, and the same number of those who are just starting treatment across Great Britain for breast, bladder, kidney and skin cancer.
Other forms of cancer may be added as research progresses.
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Samra Turajlić is an oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital and leads a project at the Francis Crick Institute in London.
In recent years, he says, enormous progress has been made in the treatment of cancer using immunotherapy.
"Due to unsuccessful treatment and side effects, the services we provide to many patients are still insufficient," she said.
“We have a unique opportunity in the UK to address this challenge.
"Research at this level can bring us one step closer to better tests in the clinic, but also encourage new discoveries related to cancer immunology and new therapies," Professor Turajlić points out.
He adds that the aim is to speed up the delivery of personalized medicines, which affect a large number of people across Britain every year.
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The project is funded by the government's Office of Biological Sciences and the Medical Research Council, among others.
These two organizations that support research and innovation to improve healthcare in the UK have provided just over €10 million for this project.
An additional 15,4 million euros is invested by the industry.
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology provided around 172 million euros for cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the entire project is supported by Peter Kyle, Minister of Science and Technology.
"Cancer is a disease that has brought pain, misery and heartbreak to every family in the country, including mine.
"We need to use the government's partnership with the National Health Service, researchers and business to discover and treat this terrible disease.
"Britain's scientists, researchers and industry leaders have brilliant ideas that will not only improve our health, but also boost our economy, helping to build a cycle for more investment in health and research, which will ultimately drive higher living standards."
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