A Maltese doctor, who spearheaded a breakthrough in the fight against prostate cancer, is being awarded a prestigious professorship by Queen Elizabeth.
The professorship celebrates Johann de Bono’s world-leading research in the clinical development of cancer treatment.
London’s Institute of Cancer Research, where Prof. de Bono heads the clinical studies division, is one of only 12 across the UK to be awarded the Regius Professorship marking the Queen’s 90th birthday.
The award falls on the 10th anniversary of the news that a team of British researchers, headed by Prof. de Bono, had made a dramatic breakthrough following drug tests that began at the Royal Marsden Hospital, in London.
He made headlines after trials on a new pill showed it could shrink tumours in up to 80 per cent of cases. The new drug – Abiraterone – was at the time still being tested and not yet on the market.
READ: Doctor tempers hype surrounding cancer 'wonder drug'
Prof. de Bono said the drug, which has been rolled out as standard treatment for at least 300,000 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, had revolutionised the treatment of this number one killer among men.
Cancer research is a team effort
“On average, men on this treatment lived one year longer than their prognosis. Our team managed to increase longevity by 300,000 life years,” Prof. de Bono told the Times of Malta.
Ten years ago, the treatment had been termed a “wonder drug” as it was touted to end the need for damaging chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Experts hailed the advance as potentially the biggest in the sphere of prostate cancer for decades, capable of saving many thousands of lives.
“Our research had continued and our team has unveiled the ‘Rosetta Stone of prostate cancer’,” Prof. de Bono said.
The research, published in premier medical and scientific research journals, has shown that nine out of every 10 men with advanced prostate cancer carry mutations (known as ‘hijacked genes’) in their tumours that could be targeted by either existing or new cancer drugs.
The study, held in collaboration with researchers from eight academic clinical trials centres around the world, is mapping out the genetic mutations of lethal prostate cancers. This allows doctors to test for the specific mutations and give patients with advanced prostate cancer existing drugs or drug combinations.
“Cancer research is a team effort and wherever I was – whether in the US or the UK – teamwork was a main ingredient in our success,” Prof. de Bono said.
“I’m confident that ongoing development in our research will help us cure more people from many other cancers.
“More men and women are living with a cancer diagnosis for longer than ever before,” Prof. de Bono noted.