Dozens of cancer patients in Wales have been given the chance to extend their life expectancy after Swansea Bay doctors looked again at when a cancer drug can be administered.
They discovered that finding a particular protein in a patient’s blood signalled there could be a benefit from introducing the drug at a different time.
The medication, Panitumumab, is not suitable for all patients, but has proved successful in almost doubling life expectancy of those who have taken it.
It is used with patients who have metastatic and incurable left-sided colon cancer. Now, by making it available at a different time in their treatment pathway, the drug has been found to extend the options of treatment for a small group of patients.
Swansea Bay UHB has offered the drug for the past couple of years thanks to the One Wales Medicines process, which offers access to treatments outside the current marketing authorisation or license, and prior to approval by NICE, providing there is evidence to support it. Panitumumab has since been given One Wales approval last June.
The Swansea Bay medics have been able to use a medical testing protocol called ‘re-challenge’ when a medicine or drug is administered, withdrawn and then given again.
Consultant oncologist Dr Craig Barrington said: “We are not aware of any other country having this option for re-challenge, guided by genetic testing. It is another exciting option for Welsh patients.
“We predict there’s going to be about 30 to 50 patients in Wales a year that may well get additional benefit from the use of this drug.”
Consultants reassessed the use of the drug following a trial involving a test which looks for a specific DNA tumour protein in the blood. This test flagged up patients who could potentially benefit from re-challenge with Panitumuamb. A subsequent study confirmed the benefit of the approach.
As with other drugs, patients are given explanations about how Panitumuamb, has been accessed, and they are talked through current data and evidence.
One patient to benefit was Wyn Thomas, from Gower. The former medical physicist in Cardiff was 74 when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in September 2021.
Although Mr Thomas has since died, he was one of the patients offered the drug at a different time in his care pathway. It gave him months of precious extra time to spend time with his family and friends before he passed away.
His wife Liz said: “When Wyn was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, we did not think he would have very much time.
“He was asked to if he wanted to consider whether he wanted quality or longevity of life left, he said he wanted to live as long as he could. But he ended up with a good quality of life. He never gave up and was very determined.
“He had some issues with his skin which was flaky and itchy, but throughout the summer of 2024 he was really good; he was out and about, cutting the grass, and at Christmas he was stuffing the turkey and carrying logs.
“We knew it would not last forever, and last January he complained of a pain in the knee, and he died in March. He only had about four or six weeks when he was desperately ill.”
Dr Carrington said he was convinced Panitumumab had extended Mr Thomas’ life.
He said: “When he first started cancer treatment, with what was available we think he would have had about two to two-and-a-half years, but he survived for three-and-a-half, so he outlived our prediction.
“There is no doubt in my mind that is because of the medication. Without it, it would have been half the time.
“Not only did we see that in the length of time since he commenced taking Panitumumab, but we also saw it on scans and the blood tests and how well he was responding to it.”
He added: “This drug works on patients if they have intact proteins. If proteins are mutated it won’t work. We estimate about 50% of patients we can use it from the beginning of treatment. About 30% who have exposure to it see mutations, so exposing them to the drug wouldn’t have any benefit.”
Wyn, who was 76 when he passed away, was the brother of Bafta-winning Twin Town composer Mark Thomas, who also created music for Wallace and Gromit animations. Mark also died following a cancer battle in 2023.
Liz added: “Even when Wyn was undergoing treatment, he ran Mark’s record label, collecting royalties and distributing it to musicians.
“We tried everything for him, and he was alright for three-and-a-half years. Everyone who supported him at Singleton was absolutely brilliant.”
