BOLTON grandma who went into theatre not knowing if she would lose her eye is now urging donations for life-saving cancer research to help others like her survive.
Jane Stott’s world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with sinus cancer last May, following weeks of heavy nosebleeds. What doctors initially thought was an infection turned out to be a life-threatening cancerous mass that had begun to spread.
The 70-year-old from Little Lever underwent a seven-hour operation at Salford Royal Hospital to remove the tumour that originated in her nose.
Jane, who has two daughters and three grandchildren, said: “They had to shave part of my head for the operation; I went into theatre and didn’t know whether or not I would still have my left eye when I woke up. The surgeon had said that if the cancer was in my optical nerve, they would have to remove it. I was so relieved when I came round and they hadn’t had to. The whole experience has been a very exhausting, but you just have to get on with it.”
Following surgery, Jane completed seven rounds of chemotherapy and received proton beam therapy at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust as part of the PROTIS clinical trial, funded by Cancer Research UK and The Taylor Family Foundation, which compares proton beam therapy with standard radiotherapy.
Cancer Research UK was a key player in the development of radiotherapy and supported some of the world’s first clinical trials into proton beam therapy. It uses protons instead of x-rays, delivering energy precisely inside the tumour. This destroys cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.
For patients like Jane, this can mean shorter treatment schedules, fewer hospital trips, lower travel costs, and crucially, fewer side effects – helping them return to normal life sooner.
Professor David Thomson, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, who is leading the trial with Jason Fleming, Senior Clinical Lecturer at Liverpool University, said: “Treating sinus cancers with high-dose radiotherapy is especially challenging because of the delicate structures nearby, such as the eyes, brain and inner ear. While both proton beam therapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy are highly precise, this trial is investigating whether proton beam therapy could increase the chance of cure with fewer side effects.”
The PROTIS trial will recruit 276 patients with sinus cancer from across the UK over five years, as part of a 10-year study including planning and follow-up. Half of participants will receive proton beam therapy, while the remainder will be treated with standard radiotherapy.
Researchers hope the findings will allow more patients to benefit from proton beam therapy in the future. If successful, the treatment could be routinely commissioned by the NHS, improving outcomes and reducing side effects for many.
Jane added: “I knew I had to join the trial as soon as they asked me. I decided it would help me and make a difference for people like me in the future. My hearing has been affected, I’m not sure if it’s the surgery or treatment, but I now have ringing in my ears and had to get hearing aids, which have helped so much. I feel like I’m back in the world. I still get tired, but I’m starting to get back to normal, and it’s a great feeling.
“Treatments like proton beam therapy simply wouldn’t be possible without vital funds that keep researchers working towards more ‘Eureka!’ moments. I hope people across Greater Manchester will support Cancer Research UK and donate monthly to help fund more breakthroughs for others like me.”
Jane is now being monitored with scans every three months.
Cancer Research UK has helped double cancer survival in the UK over the past 50 years thanks to the generosity of its supporters.
Latest figures highlight progress, with advances in prevention, detection and treatment helping to reduce UK cancer death rates to a record low. In the North West, mortality has fallen by 12% over the past decade.**
Jemma Humphreys, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North West, said: “With new technologies opening doors to new discoveries, we’re living in a golden age of cancer research. From making treatments more targeted to combining them with other therapies and reducing the number of doses needed, we’ve changed clinical practice worldwide, making radiotherapy kinder and more effective. But with nearly 1 in 2 people set to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime***, there’s still so much more to do.
“Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research. More support right now could fuel faster progress than ever before and help more people like Jane live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. Together, we can power the next wave of breakthroughs.”
Donate to life-saving research at cruk.org/breakthroughs
