Submitted by L. Millard on Mon, 20/12/2021 - 13:24
This month’s extended IRC Cancer in Sight blog is written by Stephen Lee who has survived two brain surgeries and lived with glioblastoma since his diagnosis 11 years ago, age 51 – only four months after he lost his brother to the same disease.
In the blog titled ‘Looking to the future – while living with glioblastoma’, Stephen remembers the unforgettable day of his diagnosis and the experience of being told he has brain cancer and undergoing the first operation to remove the glioblastoma all within a week. This happened to Stephen only four months after the death of his older brother David from the same disease. In the blog he writes: “Treatment of glioblastomas remains challenging and even with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, nearly all of these brain tumours re-grow within a year, and unfortunately there are very few options for patients once this occurs. Average survival is just 12-18 months from first diagnosis. My brother Dave died within a year of his.”
Since my second surgery and the Sativex trial, all my MRI scans have been clear. I think the scarring might have gone as well. The Brain Tumour Charity has raised funds for a second trial of Sativex in March 2022 which, fingers crossed, will give hope to others living with glioblastoma that there could be new treatments to support them to live their lives Stephen Lee
Stephen describes the effects of surgery and his road to recovery, supported by his wife Margaret, clinical team and The Brain Tumour Charity – until his tumour returned in 2014: “It’s important to view glioblastoma as a potential opportunity to change your way of life, to go off in a totally different direction. We decided to enjoy our lives together for however long that’s going to be. First thing we did after the operation, before chemo and radiotherapy started, was go on a barge holiday. Then we travelled around Europe, and I even got my driving licence back – until the tumour decided to put in an appearance in September 2014.”
The blog sets out why Stephen took part in a 12-month clinical trial funded by The Brain Tumour Charity of the cannabis-based drug Sativex which he volunteered for in 2015. The trial assessed whether adding Sativex (an oral spray containing cannabinoids THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol)) to chemotherapy could extend life and improve quality of life for people with a recurrent glioblastoma brain tumour, which currently has an average survival of less than 10 months.
Stephen writes: “Since my second surgery and the Sativex trial, all my MRI scans have been clear. I think the scarring might have gone as well. The Brain Tumour Charity has raised funds for a second trial of Sativex in March 2022 which, fingers crossed, will give hope to others living with glioblastoma that there could be new treatments to support them to live their lives.”
Read the full Cancer in Sight blog by Stephen Lee here
