The type of brain tumour Jim has got is called a Glioblastoma multiforme or GBM. It is the highest grade malignancy, a grade 4. There is no cure and a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy is to try to prolong a patients life for as long as possible but not cure this condition, this was made clear to us by the surgeon and our neuro-oncologist. No significant advance has been made in improving survival times for the last 25 years with this type of cancer. It is highly malignant and becomes resistant to chemotherapy drugs very quickly. More information on this type of brain tumour can be found on various sites including www.cancerresearchuk.org.

The treatment we are trying uses a device which, through electrodes placed on the head, passes electrical fields through the brain and disrupts the cancer cells as they are dividing. The electrodes are worn for 22 hours a day with a portable battery pack carried around to power them. Normal activities can be carried on whilst wearing the electrodes. This experimental treatment is not being trialled in the UK but we have been accepted into the trial in Paris. The treatment is not proven but initial results look promising. The important fact is that Jim will still receive the best drug available at the moment, temozolamide, in addition to the electrodes and there are no significant side effects. The name of the company running the trials is Novocure Ltd and details of the trial can be found at www.novocuretrial.com. The trial will run for two years. We  have to travel to Paris on a two weekly basis as the electrodes have to be replaced once or twice weekly. This travelling will be the main costs involved. To be accepted Jim had to have an MRI scan 4 weeks after the end of his radiotherapy and this was to show no progression of the tumour during radiotherapy. The scan was good enough for him to enter a randomisation process where half the applicants get the electrode treatment and the other half receive just the temozolamide. This has to be totally random so the trial results are not biased in any way so Jim had a 50:50 chance of receiving the treatment. His scan was done during the week beginning 13th Nov with the treatment having to be started within 3 weeks of that. We went to Paris on 29/11/09 and after the doctors gave Jim a medical and checked the scans we learnt that we had been successful. We had to stay until 3/12/09 being taught how to affix the electrodes and use the equipment but we were happy. I will, of course, keep you all posted but if anyone wants to ask me any questions please don’t hesitate to ask me. Thanks for everyone’s support. Bye for now, Michelle.