果冻影院

Thanks to a combination of philanthropy and private donations聽funding the work of some of the world鈥檚 top academics, 果冻影院 is a leading centre in the聽ongoing fight against cancer.

The innovative and groundbreaking immunotherapy trials carried out at 果冻影院 Cancer Institute are just one strand of the university鈥檚 research 鈥� making major breakthroughs in our understanding of the disease and leading to real-world implementation of new treatments.

But as well as the wider picture, it鈥檚 important to recognise the huge impact the trials have on the individual patients who take part. Their personal stories are all different, but have one thing in common: 果冻影院鈥檚 programme was their last chance at survival.

Sophie Hodges, from Somerset, is just one example.

鈥淓veryone was shocked鈥�

In 2013, Sophie was a horse-mad 17-year-old, riding in events and training her own horses. She also worked in a bridal shop, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Always active, she was something of a workaholic. But everything changed when she started to feel unwell.

She explains: 鈥淚 worked seven days a week with only the odd Saturday off, so we initially put it down to tiredness. Then I had a nosebleed that wouldn鈥檛 stop, and I panicked. A doctor said to us 鈥榳e think we know what it is, it is curable, but another doctor will talk to you tomorrow鈥�. Then I was told I have leukaemia. At 17, I was just getting into adult life, and it just hit me. Everyone was shocked.鈥�

Sophie was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and entered into a two-and-a-half year chemotherapy programme at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. All seemed to be going well until, in 2016, Sophie relapsed. She had a bone-marrow transplant, but then suffered a further 鈥楥NS relapse鈥� - the leukaemia was attacking her central nervous system.

Sophie seemed to have run out of options. Tragically, palliative care was the only help on offer to her through regular medical channels. Then her consultant in Taunton raised the possibility of her taking part in 果冻影院鈥檚 CAR T-cell therapy trials.

Reprogramming the body

CAR T-cell therapy - a type of immunotherapy - is a pioneering leukaemia treatment, based on the research of 果冻影院 Clinician Scientist Dr Martin Pule, with clinical trials running at 果冻影院H and Great Ormond Street Hospital. T-cells (a form of white cell/immune cell), usually harvested from the patients (autologous) or less commonly from a healthy donor (allogeneic), are re-programmed as cancer-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR T-cells) and injected back into the patient鈥檚 bloodstream. These modified cells track to the site of disease, recognise and kill the cancer cells. They are then incorporated into the patient鈥檚 immune system, hopefully long-term.

鈥淭his work is hugely significant,鈥� explains Dr Maeve O鈥橰eilly, a Clinical Research Associate at the 果冻影院 Cancer Institute. 鈥淚t鈥檚 revolutionary in the world of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and B-cell lymphoma. Ultimately, our hope is to apply what we have learned from the use of CAR-T cells in haematological malignancies to solid cancers. It represents an entirely new modality of therapy which was previously unavailable to patients.鈥�

In July 2018, Sophie Hodges鈥� T-cells were harvested and six weeks later the modified cells were injected back into her body. She was monitored very closely during treatment. As expected, her temperature rose after the initial injection - 鈥渢he T-cells were getting all excited鈥� as she puts it - and she had to stay in London for around a week, but then she was free to go home and mix weekly visits to Musgrove Park with monthly trips to 果冻影院H to see Dr Claire Roddie, who is responsible for her care.

The treatment did give Sophie a scare along the way. A few weeks after discharge from hospital, she developed headaches. 鈥淚 was really poorly, so my dad took me straight to London. It was quite scary but it is a known side-effect of the treatment and they did warn me it might happen.鈥�

Dr Maeve O鈥橰eilly elaborates: 鈥淪ophie suffered symptoms suggestive of neurotoxicity, which are a known side-effect of CAR T-cell therapy. The severity of these symptoms can vary widely 聽from patient to patient. Fortunately these effects are rapidly reversible with steroid therapy, as they were for Sophie.鈥�

Facing the future

Talking to us in February 2019, Sophie is doing well - her leukaemia is in complete remission. She is riding her horses again, although only in dressage events as she is not yet strong enough to participate in jumping. She is undertaking a book-keeping course as a potential future line of work, but her main goal is to return to working in the weddings market, potentially as a bridal consultant. 鈥淚 really want to do something with my life that I enjoy,鈥� she says.

Sophie is full of praise for Dr Roddie and the 果冻影院 team who have administered her treatment. 鈥淭he care in the hospital has been amazing,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he team are just so kind.鈥� Asked if she can sum up what CAR T-cell therapy has done for her, she says: 鈥淚t has hopefully given me a chance to go on and be 鈥榥ormal鈥�. I want to just get on now, live life day by day and make the most of it.鈥�

It is sobering to think that without undergoing 果冻影院鈥檚 trial, Sophie would almost certainly not be here now, planning her future. But none of this would have been possible without the generosity of philanthropists and private donors.

鈥淧hilanthropy makes it possible to provide these therapies to people who need it most,鈥� says Maeve. 鈥淥ur patients had no remaining treatment options, but thanks to the generosity of our donors, they now have a second chance at life.鈥�

In September last year, a commercial deal between NHS England and the pharmaceutical company Novartis has led to the availability of Tisagenlecleucel (a licensed CAR-T cell product) in key UK centres for patients up to 25 years of age with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia that has relapsed after or is refractory to standard therapy.

While this is a fantastic step, 果冻影院 Cancer Institute鈥檚 work continues and more funding is needed to reach more patients. 鈥淎ll of this research is made possible by people realising that donations make a huge difference and allow us to carry on our work,鈥� says Maeve.聽鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we are all eternally grateful for.鈥�