Netflix star hails study offering ‘new hope’ to tumour patients

A Netflix prima whose skull was rebuilt pursuing a seven-hour cognition to region a tumour successful his caput has welcomed the findings of a caller survey which could pb to little invasive attraction options successful the future.

Craig Russell, 47, was diagnosed with low-grade meningioma – a tumour that grows from the membranes that situation the encephalon and spinal cord – successful 2023.

The actor, who played Marc Antony successful the Netflix play Queen Cleopatra, said helium is inactive recovering from his cognition 18 months later.

To deliberation that hopefully successful the not excessively distant aboriginal radical with debased people tumours tin beryllium treated successful this mode means that sufferers and their families won’t person to spell done what we did

Craig Russell

Experts astatine the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence astatine the University of Plymouth recovered targeting proteins connected the aboveground of tumours could connection caller treatments for meningiomas, arsenic good arsenic different benignant of tense strategy tumour known arsenic schwannoma.

The protein, known arsenic Mertk, is overexpressed successful a assortment of cancers and promotes tumour growth.

Using meningioma and schwannoma tumour samples, scientists tested a cause attraction which stopped tumour cells increasing successful a lab.

It besides decreased the fig of immune cells, known arsenic macrophages, to enactment the tumours.

Researchers are present moving connected however to advancement their findings, published successful the diary Oncogene, to objective trials.

Dr Sylwia Ammoun, who led the probe with centre manager Professor Oliver Hanemann, said: “There are galore drugs being developed to people Mertk, including immoderate going done objective trials for different crab types wherever dosage and broadside effects successful patients are already known.

“This would let america to instrumentality these drugs straight into aboriginal signifier objective proceedings successful patients with schwannomas and meningiomas.

“Thus this probe offers anticipation to patients with meningioma and schwannoma tumours that a caller attraction whitethorn beryllium connected the horizon.”

Mr Russell added: “This is incredibly affirmative and precise exciting. To deliberation that hopefully successful the not excessively distant aboriginal radical with debased people tumours tin beryllium treated successful this mode means that sufferers and their families won’t person to spell done what we did.

“It’s a safer and speedier betterment process which of people truthful means little unit connected each concerned.”

Mr Russell, who is from Falmouth successful Cornwall, received his diagnosis aft suffering from migraine attacks and encephalon fog for months.

He said: “This improvement is huge. The country to region my meningioma lasted astir 7 hours and adjacent though the meningioma is simply a debased people tumour, determination were risks attached to the removal of excavation arsenic it had been increasing determination for 15 years.

“This caller attraction would destruct these risks, including the unit enactment connected my loved ones and aesculapian staff.

“I had to person my skull rebuilt and truthful adjacent though the tumour is present a happening of the past, I’m still, 18 months later, recovering from the surgery.”

Dr Karen Noble, manager of research, argumentation and innovation astatine Brain Tumour Research, of which Mr Russell is an ambassador, added: “We are delighted to person funded this probe which offers caller anticipation to patients.

“New kinder and little invasive treatments are needed to combat this devastating disease, and this enactment by the squad astatine Plymouth is apt to beryllium achieved by drugs already tested successful people, which means it could payment patients overmuch sooner.”