Cancer patient has ground-breaking new treatment at Colchester Hospital

A MULTIPLE myeloma patient has participated in a research study offering an alternative drug treatment at Colchester Hospital.

The MajesTEC-9 study, exploring different medication options for bone marrow cancer, administered a drug called Teclistamab to the patient.

This antibody binds to the patient's T cells, also known as killer cells, and myeloma cells, aiding in eliminating the cancerous cells.

Jo Rosier, research team lead for haematology at Colchester Hospital, said: "This drug is an exciting step in the treatment options for people with bone marrow cancer."

Multiple myeloma, is a form of bone marrow cancer, and bone marrow is the soft tissue found within certain bones responsible for generating the body's blood cells.

The disease typically affects multiple regions of the body such as the spine, skull, pelvis, and ribs.

Eligibility for the MajesTEC-9 study hinges on whether previous treatments have been unsuccessful and the patient has experienced a relapse in their condition.

The treatment trial needs intensive monitoring due to potential side effects, including one which could see the patient’s immune system may go ‘into overdrive’, leading to neurological side effects and acute inflammation.

Ms Rosier said: "Our patient required a lot of monitoring because of the side effects, so we made sure we all worked together to provide 24-hour care to monitor the person closely.

"It was a real group effort to work together to look after our patient so they could be part of this trial."

The participating patient is only the second individual in the UK to partake in this study.

Dr Saja Khalid, the study’s principal investigator at the Trust, said: "We are very proud to be one of a handful of sites in the UK to run the multi-national MajesTEC-9 trial.

"We were selected because of our excellent track record in running clinical trials at Colchester."

He also said: "However, knowing that you are always offering patients the best available treatments and providing the highest standards of care is incredibly rewarding and makes it all worthwhile."