Latest news with #glioblastoma
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'Fit and healthy' dad who smelt caramel ended up with aggressive brain cancer
Chip shop owner Costa Fantis received a devastating diagnosis after starting to smell a sweet "caramel" aroma from time to time. After multiple examinations, the dad-of-four received the devastating news he had stage 4 IDH-wildtype glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of brain cancer. Since receiving his diagnosis, the 57-year-old, from Stoke-on-Trent, has received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the only treatment options offered through the NHS for his type of cancer. The NHS identifies surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted medications as conventional treatments for glioblastoma. In 2005, you were on MySpace. Scrolling through your iPod. Watching the first videos on YouTube. 👾 That was also the last time glioblastoma treatment saw a major breakthrough. Soon, that changes. We're ushering in a new era of genomic testing designed just for glioblastoma —… — Glioblastoma Foundation (@glioblastf) July 16, 2025 Currently, his relatives are trying to raise £350,000 for a potentially life-extending treatment in Germany, with total costs expected to reach approximately £464,000. Antonio, Costa's 27-year-old son who works as a quantity surveyor in Stoke-on-Trent, said: "All of our lives have just been flipped upside down. His sense of smell changed and he kept getting this strange, sweet caramel smell. We didn't think much of it. We definitely didn't know it was a symptom of something so serious." The alteration in Costa's sense of smell remained the only sign anything was wrong. Antonio continued: "It's really bizarre because symptoms-wise, he didn't have much at all. On the odd occasion, he would have a caramel smell, a sweet smell. But it would happen very quickly and once a month or so." "From what we now know they define them as mini seizures; they last seconds; nothing happens to you while you do it." Costa initially suspected he might be dealing with epilepsy, something he had experienced earlier in life. Antonio said that, as a family, they didn't really look into it but advised his dad to get a scan, thinking it was likely linked to his past epilepsy. "We weren't really thinking anything of it at all as he was a really fit and healthy man" However, in April, the family faced a horrible truth - Costa was found to have stage 4 brain cancer. Antonio said: "We were shellshocked. We didn't really know how to take it. "We were worried, scared, nervous, but then still trying to get to grips with the situation and what was going on because he had no symptoms. It just kind of proves that you can be a fit and healthy man, yet still have something wrong with you." Antonio continued: "My dad is a fighter. He's always fought all of his life. His nickname has been Rambo all of his life, because he's just known to get through any battle he's had to face. "He was shocked. He was taken aback. He was stunned. He didn't know how to react and I still don't think he knows how to react. The only things the NHS offer, which is the massive problem and why we're doing the fundraising, is a course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In the last 20 years the treatments haven't changed for glioblastomas in the UK. "So it's quite a scary thing to be diagnosed with, knowing that there's not much the NHS can do. Put it this way, they're telling us in the consultancy meetings not to cut back on anything and just enjoy your life, in the most harrowing way possible." The family refuses to give up hope. Inspired by success stories, they are exploring alternative therapies abroad, such as DC vaccine therapy in Munich, oncothermia as part of a clinical trial in London, a three-phase immunotherapy programme at the IZOK Clinic in Cologne, and peptide vaccine treatment from a specialist lab in Tübingen. The family needs to raise around £464,000 for these treatments, and have already managed to fundraise more than £260,000. If you want the link to his GoFundMe, follow this link. Costa has recently completed his radiotherapy and chemotherapy courses and has demonstrated an encouraging response, although it remains too early to assess the complete impact of these treatments. Antonio said: "It's harrowing what's going on with treatments for GMBs and the progress they've made over the last 20 years, not just for my dad but for every other patient who is suffering with the same thing. "It's almost like you get this and 'bye-bye', because the diagnosis is a grade four brain tumour glioblastoma, that is unmethylated and it's IDH wild type. Those two things mean it's the worst type of brain cancer you can get. But in reality there is so much that can be offered." Recommended reading: 'Breakthrough' for hay fever sufferers as new drug offers 'improved life' Can cyclists be fined for speeding on UK roads? Here is all you need to know John Torode and Gregg Wallace 'off with each other' and 'were never friends' The overwhelming wave of solidarity from their community has profoundly touched the family. Antonio continued: "My dad is a hard-working, typical father figure. Raised three kids, he's got his grandkids. He's loving, he's generous, he'll do anything for anybody. "He's very giving, which is why I think he's reaped the rewards now in terms of people giving back and the GoFundMe. He loves rugby, he used to coach the local football and rugby team when I was growing up. "He's so down to earth, always looking to help people - good morals, good values - but he's a hard worker and he'll fight this just like any battle he has faced before. And he's faced some battles. So this is just going to be another one, it's the toughest test yet."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I suffered one extremely bizarre symptom before 'worst cancer diagnosis possible'
A 'fit and healthy' father received a devastating cancer diagnosis after a bizarre symptom triggered a trip to the doctors—a lasting smell of caramel. Stoke-on-Trent chip shop owner Costas Fantis, 57, knew something was wrong when once a month he kept smelling the scent of the sweet treat. After several tests and a biopsy, the dad-of-four was diagnosed with stage 4 IDH-wildtype glioblastoma—the most aggressive type of brain cancer—in April 2024. Costas' son, Antonio, 27, a quantity surveyor, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: 'All of our lives have just been flipped upside down. 'His sense of smell changed and he kept getting this strange sweet caramel smell. 'We didn't think much of it. We definitely didn't know it was a symptom of something so serious.' The unusual change of smell was also Consta's only symptom. Antonio said: 'It's really bizarre because symptoms wise he didn't have much at all. 'On the odd occasion he would have a caramel smell, a sweet smell. But it would happen very quickly, and once a month or so. 'From what we now know, they define them as mini seizures, they last seconds, nothing happens to you whilst you do it.' Costas initially suspected epilepsy, having dealt with it as a child. 'As a family we didn't really look into it much,' Antonio said. 'But we told him to have a scan and said it's probably going to be in relation to the epilepsy. 'We weren't really thinking anything of it at all as he was a really fit and healthy man.' But in April, the family were hit with the life changing diagnosis, Costas had stage four brain cancer. And it wasn't until a biopsy that the full extent of Costas' condition was revealed—the tumour was inoperable. 'We didn't really know how to take it,' Antonio added. 'We were worried, scared, nervous but then still trying to get to grips with the situation and what was going on because he had no symptoms. 'It just kind of proves that you can be a fit and healthy man yet still have something wrong with you.' Since the diagnosis, Costas, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, has completed NHS radiotherapy and chemotherapy - the only treatment currently available in the UK. The family are now fundraising for alternative treatments in Germany. Antonio said: 'The only things the NHS offer, which is the massive problem, and why we're doing the fundraising, is a course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 'In the last 20 years the treatments haven't changed for glioblastomas in the UK. 'So it's quite a scary thing to be diagnosed with, knowing that there's not much the NHS can do. 'Put it this way, they're telling us in the consultancy meetings not to cut back on anything and just enjoy your life, in the most harrowing way possible.' The disease strikes around 3,000 Britons and 12,000 Americans each year. The Wanted singer Tom Parker (pictured with his wife Kelsey Parker in October 2021) died in March 2022 following an 18-month battle with stage four glioblastoma. He said after his diagnosis that he was 'shocked' at the limited treatment options for GBM and 'massive improvements' were needed Average survival time for glioblastoma is between 12 and 18 months, according to the Brain Tumour Charity. Only 5 per cent of patients survive five years, it says. The disease killed the Labour politician Dame Tessa Jowell in 2018. In 2023 , The Wanted singer Tom Parker also died following an 18-month battle with stage four glioblastoma. He said after his diagnosis that he was 'shocked' at the limited treatment options for GBM and 'massive improvements' were needed. Diagnosed patients usually undergo surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. This is followed by daily radiation and chemo drugs for around six weeks, after which the drugs are scaled back. Radiation can be then used to destroy additional tumour cells and treat those who are not well enough for surgery. But the cancer can double in size in just seven weeks. For comparison, the fastest-growing lung cancers take 14 weeks to double. Common symptoms include headaches that keep getting worse, nausea and vomiting, blurred or double vision, trouble speaking, altered sense of touch, and seizures.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Man's deadly brain cancer tumor disappears after experimental drug trial
A man with the deadliest form of brain cancer has no signs of the disease after taking an experimental drug. Ben Trotman was 40 when he was diagnosed in 2022 with glioblastoma, the most aggressive cancerous brain tumor. Patients typically live an average of 15 months after diagnosis, and the five-year survival rate is just 6.9%. Trotman was referred to The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), where he was treated by consultant UCLH medical oncologist Dr. Paul Mulholland, as detailed in a press release. Ancient 'Pharaoh's Curse' Fungus Shows Promise In Killing Cancer Cells As the only person enrolled in a trial that ultimately closed due to lack of patients, Trotman received a medication called ipilimumab, a targeted immunotherapy treatment. Ipilimumab is an antibody that binds to a protein on immune cells (T cells). It keeps cancer cells from suppressing the immune system so it can then attack and kill the cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Read On The Fox News App Trotman also received radiation and chemotherapy. More than two years later, his quarterly scans show no signs of cancer. "It is very unusual to have a clear scan with glioblastoma, especially when he didn't have the follow-up surgery that had been planned to remove all of the tumor that was initially visible on scans," his oncologist, Mulholland, said in the release. "We hope that the immunotherapy and follow-up treatment Ben has had will hold his tumor at bay — and it has so far, which we are delighted to see." Two months after receiving the ipilimumab, Trotman married his wife, Emily. In April 2025, they welcomed their daughter, Mabel. "Getting this diagnosis was the most traumatic experience — we were grappling with the fact that Ben had gone from being apparently perfectly healthy to having months to live," Emily Trotman said in the release. "Had we not met Dr. Mulholland, that would have been it for us. We felt we had a lucky break in an otherwise devastating situation." Ben Trotman added, "We obviously don't know what the future holds, but having had the immunotherapy treatment and getting these encouraging scan results has given [us] a bit of hope." "We are focused on rebuilding the life we thought we had lost and enjoying being parents." Mulholland and his team have now opened another clinical trial for patients who have been newly diagnosed with glioblastoma. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Sixteen patients will be recruited for the trial, which is sponsored by UCL. The treatment will be administered at the NIHR UCLH's Clinical Research Facility and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, according to the press release. The patients will receive ipilimumab before proceeding to standard treatments that may include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. "The crucial element of this trial is that patients will have their immune system boosted by the drug before they have any other treatment, when they are fit and well enough to tolerate the immunotherapy," Mulholland said in the release. The Win-Glio trial — nicknamed "Margaret's Trial" — is funded by the efforts of Dame Siobhain McDonagh, sister of Margaret McDonagh, a London woman who died of glioblastoma in 2023 and was treated by Mulholland. For more Health articles, visit Ben Trotman said he is "delighted" that the new trial is moving forward with the same immunotherapy drug he received. "It will give people newly diagnosed with glioblastoma some hope."Original article source: Man's deadly brain cancer tumor disappears after experimental drug trial
The Sun
a day ago
- Health
- The Sun
My husband died after accusing me of having an affair – his paranoia and midlife crisis were signs of hidden killer
A DAD who started experiencing memory loss, confusion, and paranoia - suspecting his wife was having an affair - put his symptoms down to poor mental health. But a scan later revealed they were signs of a lethal killer that two years later would sadly take his life. 6 6 6 Andy Hampton, 55, passed away in May this year after being diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma. In May 2023, his increasing paranoia, which involved suspecting his wife Gemma, 37, was having an affair, brain fog and overwhelming sense of depression led to a breakdown and the diagnosis of an infection. But when the symptoms continued the dad-of-four went back to the GP and a scan revealed a mass on his brain the size of a satsuma, and he was initially given three months to live. Gemma, from Sturminster Newton, Dorset, said: "I thought Andy was having a midlife crisis or a mental breakdown. His paranoia caused him to believe things that weren't true. "He even suspected I was having an affair. He kept saying he knew it was all in his head, but he couldn't stop the thoughts." Andy, who worked as a land agent for more than two decades, was misdiagnosed with an infection by his GP. But after he began suffering headaches that made him physically sick, he was referred for a CT scan at Dorset County Hospital. When the mass on his brain was revealed, he was urgently transferred to Southampton General for an MRI. Scans showed the grade 4 glioblastoma - a fast-growing and lethal brain cancer - measured 7.5cm by 8.1cm. Gemma said: "The initial prognosis was devastating, doctors told us that Andy only had three months to live, I was in shock, we were both speechless, they gave us leaflets but Andy didn't want to read them, he just shut down. I was given a week to live after doctors found a decade-old tumour on my brain "In some ways it was a relief to know what we were experiencing wasn't our imagination or a breakdown in our marriage. We were determined to fight it." Andy had 95 per cent of the tumour surgically removed on May 31, 2023, followed by six weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. But he experienced complications following the operation - facial seizures, and a kidney infection. Gemma said: "Recovery had its setbacks, but we were so pleased the surgery went well we felt that the worst was over, and we could somehow get back to normal. "When we got back home Andy had changed. He wasn't the man I married, not because he didn't love us anymore, but because his brain no longer allowed him to show it." But he began to slowly recover and had three monthly scans to monitor his condition. Gemma said: "Everything was ok for a while, then during Christmas 2024 Andy started acting out of character again, every day was different, and we couldn't work out what was wrong." A routine scan in January this year showed the tumour hadn't grown but fluid was building up on his brain, causing his personality changes. He had a second operation in February to fit a shunt to relieve the pressure, but his health continued to decline. Andy had a seizure that lasted three hours and an MRI scan revealed he had a bleed on his brain, two new tumours and blood clots in his lungs. Gemma said: "That is when my whole world crashed, I didn't know what to say or do, I just felt helpless. I was holding it together the best I could to be there for Andy. But I knew I was losing him. "We were naive to think that because they removed most of the tumour Andy would be OK. We were dreadfully wrong." He died on May 6 this year - leaving behind Gemma and their four children - Finn, 26, Alisha, 23, Isabelle, five, and Henley, three. 6 6 6 Gemma said: "Andy was fit, strong, and full of life. We should have been enjoying this chapter of parenthood together. "A glioblastoma doesn't give families time, it steals futures. The government must do more; it is shocking to know that just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002. We need more research, faster diagnoses, and real hope. People like Andy deserve more than a death sentence." Gemma and the children are taking part in the Walk of Hope this year to raise money for Brain Tumour Research and campaign for more funding and earlier diagnoses. Letty Greenfield, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Andy's story is heartbreakingly common. Glioblastoma is one of the most complex and underfunded areas in cancer research. "We urgently need the government to increase investment so we can improve early diagnosis, develop better treatments, and ultimately find a cure. "We're incredibly grateful to Gemma and the Hampton family for sharing their story and continuing to fundraise during such a difficult time." The most common symptoms of a brain tumour More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year — of which around half are cancerous — with 5,300 losing their lives. The disease is the most deadly cancer in children and adults aged under 40, according to the Brain Tumour Charity. Brain tumours reduce life expectancies by an average of 27 years, with just 12 per cent of adults surviving five years after diagnosis. There are two main types, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and being less likely to return after treatment. Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return. Brain tumours can cause headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and memory problems, according to the NHS. They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision. The nine most common symptoms are: Headaches Seizures Feeling sick Being sick Memory problems Change in personality Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body Vision problems Speech problems If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP. Source: NHS
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Grandmother, 57, dies after ‘trapped nerve' mistakenly blamed for her back pain and headaches
A GRAN passed away after her back pain was initially dismissed as a 'trapped nerve'. Helen Arthur, 57, first became unwell on Good Friday in April 2019, experiencing persistent back pain and visual disturbances. 6 6 6 Her GP put it down to a trapped nerve but Helen's condition didn't improve. After developing headaches, Helen had an eye test, and her optician thought she may have suffered a minor stroke, so sent her to hospital. A CT scan revealed a mass on Helen's brain and she was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain tumour. In May 2019, Helen underwent surgery to remove the tumour, followed by six months of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But a routine monitoring scan in 2021 showed the tumour had grown back and Helen underwent another course of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Another MRI scan revealed Helen had multiple inoperable tumours and her condition deteriorated too quickly to treat. Helen, from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, died in May 2022, three years after her initial surgery. Her husband Brent Arthur said: "We were told Helen had a brain tumour which was a complete shock. "The doctors said most people survive just two to three years. "Words left me, I was speechless. "We were told there would be a recurrence, but it took us by surprise, we thought we had more time." It comes after the NHS launched a new immunotherapy trial to treat glioblastoma and is seeking people to take part in it - after one patient saw his disease vanish. After Helen's first CT scan, at Prince Charles Hospital in Wales in Merthyr Tydfil, which revealed a mass, she was transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Brent recalled getting the awful phone call from his son, revealing the devastating news in May 2019. He said: "I wasn't feeling well so I went to bed and expected our son Benjamin and Helen to be home within a couple of hours. 6 6 "I got a call from Benjamin saying I needed to go to the hospital. "Confused as to what could be wrong, I went. "That was when our lives changed." Helen's initial surgery and six months of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy were thought to have been a success. She was monitored with quarterly scans as she continued to live an active life, and spend time with her family and her grandchildren. In late 2021, one of these scans showed the cancer had come back. Helen underwent another course of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy but an MRI scan in April 2022 revealed multiple inoperable tumours had developed. Just a week later, Helen's original pathology results showed she had a one-in-three million genetic mutation, which might respond to targeted medication. She never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that Brent Arthur Sadly, by this point, Helen's condition had deteriorated, and treatment was not possible. Brent said: "We were all shocked and devastated. "We spent as much time together as possible, with the children and grandchildren. "Seeing Helen decline was difficult for us all." Helen is survived by husband Brent as well as children Emily, 35, and Benjamin, 33, and grandchildren Penny, six, Nora, four, Isaac, three, and Rhoda, one. Brent said: "Helen lived for her family. "She was looking forward to reducing her work hours so she could help care for our grandchildren. "That's what hurts the most, she never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. "All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that." Push for a cure Brent and his family have now raised more than £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research, enough to fund two days of research at one of the charity 's Centres of Excellence. On Father's Day on June 15, Brent completed a 10,000-foot skydive in Helen's memory. Brent said: "Our family has been robbed of a wife, mother and grandmother, and more funding is desperately needed for research. "Without it, other families will continue to face the same heartbreak we've been going through." Each year in the UK, around 3,200 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma, yet just 160 will survive five years or more. What are the symptoms of glioblastoma and how soon do they show? Glioblastomas are the most common brain tumour in adults, while also being very aggressive and deadly. Brain Tumour Research says tumours increase pressure in the skull, causing headaches. Symptoms to look for are: Headaches Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Loss of balance Mood swings Problems speaking Problems with memory or concentration Seizures Impaired vision The symptoms can initially be quite non-specific, meaning they could be mistaken for lots of other conditions- even stress or a hangover. The brain controls so many different functions that symptoms can vary greatly depending on where in the brain the tumour is. Glioblastomas are very fast growing. Once found, experts can see them double within seven weeks. But, according to Dr Stephen Bagley, assistant professor of medicine at Penn Medicine, the first spark of glioblastoma in the brain remains something of a mystery to medical experts. One study concluded that a glioblastoma starts growing 330 days on average - almost a year - before a diagnosis. Another found that there are changes in immune function up to five years before a diagnosis, with markers in blood samples - but symptoms only occur three months prior. Glioblastoma accounts for one in three primary brain tumour diagnoses, and current treatment offers little in the way of long-term hope. Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Helen's story is heartbreaking and all too common. "Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options and a devastating prognosis. "We are incredibly grateful to Brent and his family for honouring Helen's memory through their fundraising. "It's support like this that helps us push for better outcomes and ultimately a cure." 6
