Aberystwyth-based veterans football club to play in World Cup
Welcoming the funding, Kevin Harrington, Chief Executive of Flutter UKI, said: 'The Cash4Clubs initiative is a key part of our group's global commitment to improve the lives of 10 million people in the communities where we operate by 2030 as part of our Positive Impact Plan. Community clubs are the bedrock of sport in the UK and Ireland, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help these smaller organisations continue to make a big difference to people's lives.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
30-05-2025
- BBC News
Immunotherapy drug doubles cancer survival in breakthrough trial
Hundreds of thousands of people with advanced head and neck cancer could live longer without their cancer returning thanks to an immunotherapy drug, a clinical trial is the first sign of a breakthrough for patients with this difficult-to-treat cancer for 20 years, say scientists behind the Marston, 45, from Derbyshire, says she is "amazed she's still here" after being given "dire" chances of survival following a diagnosis of advanced tongue cancer six years received the immunotherapy before and after surgery, which researchers say helps the body learn to attack the cancer if it returns. Cancers in the head and neck are notoriously difficult to treat and there's been little change in the way patients are treated in two decades. More than half those diagnosed with advanced head and neck cancers die within five was given only a 30% chance of surviving that long after her diagnosis in 2019, after having an ulcer on her tongue which wouldn't go away. The next step was major surgery to remove her tongue, as well as lymph nodes in her neck, and then she had to learn to talk and eat again."I was 39 and I was devastated," she told BBC part of an international study into new ways to treat the cancer, involving experts from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, Laura was one of more than 350 patients given the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab before and after surgery to prime the body's Kevin Harrington, who led the trial in the UK, explains: "We give the immune system the chance to have a good look at the tumour to generate anti-tumour immunity and then, after removal of the tumour, we continue to amplify that immune response by giving the drug continually for up to a year."A similar number of patients diagnosed with similar cancers received the usual care offered. They all had advanced head and neck cancers in one area, that had not spread to the rest of the new approach showed positive results. It doubled the length of time patients were cancer free, on average, from around 2.5 years to five three years, patients given pembrolizumab had a 10% lower risk of their cancer returning elsewhere in the body. 'Given me my life back' Six years on, Laura is working full-time and says she's "in a good place and doing really well"."It's been phenomenal for me, because I'm here, able to talk to you."I wasn't expected to come this far," Laura says."My prognosis was quite dire." She had muscle taken from her left arm and placed into her mouth to fill the void left by her tongue. It has been a tough journey."Just having this amazing immunotherapy has given me my life back again." The researchers say the key to their results was giving patients the drug before surgery, which trains the body to hunt down and kill the cancer if it ever comes back. Prof Harrington says immunotherapy "could change the world" for these patients."It significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat," he 12,800 new head and neck cancer cases are diagnosed in the UK every year. The approach worked "particularly well" for some patients, but it was "really exciting" to see the treatment benefitting all the patients in the trial, Prof Harrington said. He added that it should now be made available on the NHS, .The study findings are being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual trial, called Keynote, involved 192 hospitals in 24 countries, was led by Washington University Medical School in St Louis and funded by drug company MSD.
The Sun
30-05-2025
- The Sun
Immune-boosting drug ‘could change the world' for cancer patients – warding off killer for years
AN immune boosting drug can stave off throat cancer for years longer than current treatments, a trial found. Recovering head and neck cancer patients treated with pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, remained cancer -free for an average of five years. That was twice as long as the 2.5 years for patients given regular chemotherapy. The risk of tumour cells spreading elsewhere in the body was also 10 per cent lower, the Institute for Cancer Research in London found. Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy that is given before and after surgery. It works by boosting the body's own ability to seek and destroy cancer cells. Professor Kevin Harrington, trial leader author from the ICR and consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'For patients with newly-diagnosed, locally-advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven't changed in over two decades. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients with cancer that has come back or spread around the body but, until now, it hasn't been as successful for those presenting for the first time with disease which has spread to nearby areas. 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients. 'It significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat. 'The results of this trial show that pembrolizumab dramatically increases the duration of disease remission – for years longer than the current standard treatments.' Head and neck cancer refers to a group of cancers that can develop anywhere in the head or neck, including the mouth, the oesophagus, the space behind the nose, the salivary gland, and the voice box. Standard care, which includes surgery to remove tumours followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, has not changed for these patients in more than 20 years, according to researchers. The global Keynote-689 trial was carried out at 192 sites in 24 countries, and involved 714 patients. Some 363 people received pembrolizumab followed by standard care, with the remainder receiving standard care only. Pembrolizumab works by targeting a protein known as PD-L1, which is found on T cells and helps the immune system recognise and fight cancer. By blocking this protein, the treatment helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is already approved for use on its own or in combination with chemotherapy for patients with a certain type of head and neck cancer that has come back or spread around the body. The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting, found cancer returned in half the patients given pembrolizumab after five years, compared with two-and-a-half years in those receiving standard care. After three years, the risk of cancer returning somewhere else in the body was also 10 per cent lower among those on pembrolizumab. 'It could change the world' 'It works particularly well for those with high levels of immune markers,' Prof Harrington said 'But it's really exciting to see that the treatment improves outcomes for all head and neck cancer patients, regardless of these levels.' Around 13,000 Brits develop head and neck cancers each year and 4,200 die from them. Many tumours are linked to smoking. Symptoms vary depending on the type of cancer but include: persistent ulcers, white or red patches, lumps, sores and pain. 2
Cambrian News
24-04-2025
- Cambrian News
Aberystwyth-based veterans football club to play in World Cup
Welcoming the funding, Kevin Harrington, Chief Executive of Flutter UKI, said: 'The Cash4Clubs initiative is a key part of our group's global commitment to improve the lives of 10 million people in the communities where we operate by 2030 as part of our Positive Impact Plan. Community clubs are the bedrock of sport in the UK and Ireland, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help these smaller organisations continue to make a big difference to people's lives.
