Smart drug destroys tumour, saving sight in a world first
A Victorian grandfather is the first person in the world to have his sight saved by a new “smart” drug to treat a rare eye cancer.
Victoria
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A Victorian grandfather is the first person in the world to have his sight saved by a new “smart” drug to treat a rare eye cancer.
Mark Shackleton, Director of Oncology at The Alfred, said the patient, who asked only to be identified as “Geoff”, lost the vision in his left eye following a stroke three years ago.
Unrelated, late last year he presented at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital where specialists found a large melanoma at the back of his right eye.
Professor Shackleton says while it is still unclear how these ocular, or uveal, melanomas develop, they are rare with about 100 cases diagnosed in Victoria every year.
“Geoff’s melanoma had developed to a fair size even before he knew it,” he said.
“He was seen quickly by the fantastic team at the Eye and Ear Hospital and they initially thought surgery to remove the eye was necessary, which would have meant Geoff would be blind.
“Because we had already set up strong links between the Eye and Ear team and our unit at The Alfred, their doctors were aware of new treatments we had in the pipeline and asked if we could use drugs that were still undergoing testing to shrink the tumour to save his eyesight.”
Geoff, 70, said he feared the worst. The grandfather of 13 said his heart sunk when he first heard the news of the melanoma and he didn’t know what his future would be.
“When I heard Geoff’s story, I just thought, ‘if there’s even the smallest chance we can save this man’s eyesight, let’s go for it,” Prof Shackleton said.
Geoff was put on a combination of two tablets: one an existing drug made by Pfizer called crizotinib already used to treat lung and other cancers, and a new drug called darovasertib made by a small US-based biotech company Ideaya.
These are called smart drugs because they use a molecularly targeted approach that seeks out cancer-promoting proteins inside a person’s cancer cells.
Prof Shackleton said both Pfizer and Ideaya helped Geoff access the unique treatment.
“This was a team effort,” he said. “A whole raft of processes were required behind the scenes from regulatory approvals to getting the OK from the hospital, all to ensure the safety of what we were doing.
“The Alfred funded some of Geoff’s treatment, but the main partners, apart from Geoff’s wonderful eye specialists, were these two amazing companies that helped save his eyesight.”
Prof Shackleton said the drug reduced the tumour within weeks, allowing it to be treated with radiation, and importantly, saving Geoff’s eye.
He said following Geoff’s successful treatment a global trial is now underway that will include more Australian patients.
Geoff has decided to remain on the drug therapy for a few more months to try to mop up any rogue cancer cells that might still be present.
“While we are seeing positive results from patients undergoing this treatment as part of our research, Geoff is the first patient worldwide for which this treatment has been an absolute gamechanger because his vision has been preserved; without it, he would be totally blind by now.” Prof Shackleton said.
“He has a lot of life ahead of him to live, and to be melanoma free while maintaining vision in that right eye is an outcome we couldn’t have been more pleased to have achieved with him.”
For Geoff, the ability to continue enjoying ‘the small things’ is what he is most grateful for.
“I just love going to watch the local footy and spending time with my grandkids,” he said. “To be able to keep doing that is a miracle.”
Critical Care Appeal
The Alfred’s Critical Care Appeal is raising funds to support its cancer care and research, and also helping to fund the new Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre. Visit: www.alfredappeal.org.au
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