Southampton surgeon awarded £1.4million cancer research grant

But a Southampton surgeon has been awarded £1.4 million to conduct vital research into oesophageal cancers in a bid to improve the devastatingly low survival rates.

Professor Tim Underwood is the first surgeon to receive an Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellowship from Cancer Research UK and over the next five years will lead a team of doctors studying oesophageal tumours in incredible detail.

Using state-of-the-art techniques never used before in oesophageal cancer, Prof Underwood hopes his research will lead to “phenomenal results” – including improved survival for patients.

He and his team will study cancer cells’ complete genetic makeup and how cancerous and non-cancerous cells work together to help tumours grow – and at the same time try to find new ways to treat the disease.

Their work will specifically focus on a group of cells within the tumour microenvironment known as fibroblasts, which have previously been seen to help cancer cells grow.

They will try to understand how and when fibroblasts are hijacked by oesophageal cancer cells to help their growth, and hope to develop targeted drugs to stop it from happening.

A state-of-the-art technique known as ‘drop sequencing’ will allow the entire DNA profile of thousands of cells to be looked at individually in great detail by capturing single cells in tiny droplets.

The work will also involve growing and developing organoids – microscopic, artificially grown balls of cells – which allow scientists to study cells and their interactions in 3D giving a more accurate representation of how they grow in the body.

Prof Underwood said: “It’s like going from watching a standard-definition TV to looking at an ultra high-definition TV – we’re going to be looking at oesophageal tumours in new ways and in amazing detail.

“This award is vitally important to the future of oesophageal cancer research in Southampton.

“The funding is the culmination of eight years of hard graft – but that doesn’t mean the work stops here, in fact it’s quite the opposite – the work is just beginning.”

Oesophageal cancer affects the long tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

But because there are hardly any symptoms, it often remains undetected – and by the time it’s diagnosed it can often be too late to treat.

Between 280 and 300 patients are seen in Southampton every year.

Only 60 to 80 of those can undergo surgery which often means the complete removal of the oesophagus.

An estimated 89 per cent of oesophageal cancers in the UK are linked to lifestyle factors including smoking, being overweight or obesity, and alcohol.

JOHN Gorham knew there was something wrong when he sat down to eat dinner and found himself struggling to swallow his food – but not in a million years did he think he had cancer.

A keen runner since his 20s, the 61-year-old had always eaten a good diet and rarely drank to excess.

So when he was given the bombshell news that he had oesophageal cancer in January 2016, his world was turned upside down.

He said: “I remember coming home from the hospital in a daze. Being told that I had cancer really hit me between the eyes. I could not understand how I could have something so serious and yet not even feel unwell.

John, who lives in Botley with wife Chrissy, was referred to Prof Underwood and had six rounds of chemotherapy between February and June last year to tackle cancerous lymph nodes that had also been found near his collar bone before the decision was taken to operate.

He spent more than nine hours in surgery on October 4 last year. His entire oesophagus was removed and his stomach stretched, pulled up and then

attached to his throat.

One week later, John was back home recovering – and focused on being able to run again by Christmas.

The dad-of-two started to run five times a week, tackling the Coastal Half Marathon in February this year, raising awareness of the links between heartburn and cancer.

However, in March a scan revealed suspicious spots on his throat and John is now undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Southampton General Hospital.

But despite the fatigue and effects of his treatment he took part in the London Marathon last month and made it half-way around the full 26.2-mile course.

Chrissy ran with him and together they raised over £4,000 in sponsorship.

John, a retired accountant, said: “Early diagnosis is key when it comes to detecting cancers like mine and people need to know what to recognise – even if, like me, they feel well.

“I know the outcomes are not often great so I feel like one of the lucky ones to have had the surgery. My experience has taught me that anyone is vulnerable.”

He added: “Tim is very knowledge-able in his field and has a drive and determination to do everything he possibly can for people like me with oesophageal cancer. He is someone who enables his patients, puts them back in control and he has made my whole experience a very positive one.

“I feel very privileged to be so close to Southampton and have such incredible expertise on my doorstep. You can only hope that this research will bring results that help more people like me survive this terrible disease.

“Going forward, being optimistic is the only way to be. If there is one good thing cancer does, it truly confirms the fact that life is for living.”