In a remarkable medical breakthrough, a 43-year-old man from the UK has been declared free of glioblastoma, the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer, after participating in a pioneering immunotherapy trial.
Ben Trotman was diagnosed with glioblastoma at the age of 40. He became the first person in the world to receive a novel immunotherapy drug, ipilimumab, as part of a clinical trial led by University College London Hospitals (UCLH). Unlike standard protocols, the drug was administered before any conventional treatments, at a time when the immune system was strongest.
Following the immunotherapy, Trotman underwent the standard course of care—surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. More than two and a half years later, scans have shown no active tumor, an extraordinary result for a disease known for its grim prognosis.
“It is highly unusual to see a clear scan in cases of glioblastoma, especially considering Ben didn’t undergo the secondary surgery initially planned to remove the remaining tumor seen in early imaging,” said Dr. Paul Mulholland, the oncologist who led the trial at UCLH. “We’re hopeful that the immunotherapy played a significant role in keeping the tumor from returning, and we’re thrilled with Ben’s progress so far.”
Dr. Mulholland emphasized the significance of delivering the immunotherapy before traditional treatments, when patients are in the best condition to tolerate it and potentially benefit most.
Glioblastoma remains one of the most lethal cancers, with most patients surviving less than a year after diagnosis. Trotman’s outcome offers a rare glimpse of hope.
“Being the only person in the trial at the time means we don’t yet know how long this will last,” Trotman said. “But I’m overjoyed that a new clinical trial using the same drug is now underway. It gives other newly diagnosed patients a chance—and a reason to hope.”