A pioneering clinical trial in Wollstonecraft, Sydney, has shown promising results for melanoma patients, with some who were previously terminally ill now considered cured. The study involved 36 participants whose cancer had metastasised to the brain, utilising a combination of two immunotherapy drugs, Opdivo and Yervoy, instead of a single treatment. This innovative approach greatly enhances the body’s immune response against cancer cells.
Linda Kavanagh, diagnosed with terminal melanoma in 2017 and burdened with 30 tumours, including seven in her brain, recounted her journey. Initially facing a bleak prognosis, she joined the trial and experienced a remarkable turnaround. Within months, her tumours began to shrink, and today she celebrates being cancer-free. “I feel like a walking miracle,” Kavanagh shared, reflecting on her initial fears of missing significant moments in her family’s life.
Professor Georgina Long from the Melanoma Institute Australia highlighted the trial’s impact, noting that over half of the patients were still alive seven years later, defying expectations of just 16 weeks of survival. The results suggest that this combination therapy could revolutionise treatment for various cancers, with access available today for patients with advanced melanoma spreading to the brain, free of charge.