Plymouth patient becomes first in UK to receive pioneering cancer treatment

A man in Plymouth has become the first person in the United Kingdom to receive a new experimental treatment for prostate cancer as part of a clinical trial.

On Wednesday last week (11 March), Brian Holmes, 70, who has metastatic prostate cancer, was given the treatment at the Fal ward of Derriford Hospital. 

Holmes is the fifth person in the world and the first in Europe to receive the drug.

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The treatment was delivered by oncology and research teams from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.

Mr Holmes has tried other treatments over the past two years without success, and said he hopes the trial may extend his life.

“I can’t believe I’ve been given the opportunity to do this. It’s amazing, not just for me and potentially extending my life, but also for the hundreds, if not thousands of lives that this could have the potential to save.”

The clinical trial is supervised by Consultant Clinical Oncologist Dr Dominique Parslow, Oncology Staff Nurse Amanda Hind, and Research Nurse Specialist Helen Smith.

Dr Parslow said places on trials have been difficult to secure.

“It’s been a very long journey to get to today. It’s very difficult to get trial slots to put patients onto treatment, but it’s such a great opportunity for our local patients to get a new treatment that we have a lot of hope for.”

Oncology Staff Nurse Amanda Hind added:

“It’s been absolutely amazing. There’s been this work up for the last two weeks getting him prepared for the treatment. We’ve been waiting for this pinnacle moment, and it’s just been amazing.”

Tino Machaka, a trainee assistant practitioner in oncology research, said the team was proud to take part.

“We’re all very excited to be a part of this, as it’s groundbreaking work. This is basically why we wake up every day and come here.”

Mr Holmes said he feels fortunate to have been selected.

“This is a rare opportunity for me personally. This is my only hope to extend my life by any real period at all. The potential of this new treatment is enormous, and being selected for this trial has given me the strength to carry on the fight.”

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust clarified that the trial is testing an ‘antibody drug conjugate’, a type of targeted cancer therapy. 

These drugs “combine monoclonal antibodies with chemotherapy agents via a chemical linker” and are designed to attach to cancer cells and deliver treatment directly, while reducing damage to healthy tissue.

There is currently no “access to any drugs in this class for prostate cancer outside of clinical trials”.