After becoming a volunteer in a clinical trial he co-researched, Dr. Richard Scolyer’s brain tumor has vanished.
Professor Scolyer from the University of Sydney revealed that he once had a stage 4 glioblastoma, an incurable brain tumor. After participating in a new treatment trial last June, the tumor disappeared and has not recurred.
“I had an MRI on May 9 to look for signs of recurrent glioblastoma, but I haven’t seen any indications of this. I couldn’t be happier,” he shared on his personal page.
This statement does not mean he is completely cured of cancer. However, Professor Scolyer expressed his joy that the disease has not returned.
Previously, in May 2023, while traveling across Europe to speak at medical conferences, Scolyer experienced a seizure in Poland. He flew back to Australia and underwent an MRI, which revealed a glioblastoma – a dangerous late-stage brain cancer. Most patients do not survive beyond a year.
Instead of accepting his fate, the pathologist, who is now the director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, collaborated with his colleague, Professor Georgina Long, to develop a treatment plan to combat the deadly disease.
“I felt it was wrong to just accept death without trying something,” he said.
Professor Richard Scolyer, University of Sydney, trials a cancer treatment. (Photo: Richard Scolyer).
The research team utilized a method based on immunotherapy, teaching the body’s immune system how to attack cancer cells. Studies have shown that the therapy works better when combined with multiple drugs before tumor removal.
Professor Scolyer became the first brain cancer patient in the world to be treated with a combination of immunotherapy before surgery. He was also the first to receive a personalized vaccine tailored to the tumor’s characteristics, enhancing the drug’s ability to detect cancer.
He stated that he and his colleagues are proud of their persistence with this treatment method, noting that this could be a promising avenue worthy of formal research in the future.
Currently, around 300,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with glioblastoma each year. Experts hope that Professor Scolyer’s work will lay the groundwork for clinical trials with other patients, potentially extending their lives.
“We have created a lot of data to lay the foundation for the next steps, allowing us to help many more people,” Professor Long stated.
Both Professors Scolyer and Long have been honored as Australians of the Year for their work in treating malignant tumors.
