Susan Gasson, a 75-year-old from Greenwich, south-east London, is participating in a clinical trial for lung cancer. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in October 2020, marking her fourth cancer diagnosis in 40 years, having previously been treated for breast, cervical, and thyroid cancer.
Ms Gasson has a HER2 gene mutation, which can cause cells to grow and divide excessively. The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, where she has received most of her treatment, stated that before this trial, there was no targeted therapy for lung cancer patients with this specific mutation.
Since starting the trial, Ms Gasson's tumour has shrunk, and she has not required further chemotherapy. She now has a CT scan every six weeks and reports minimal side effects, leading to a better quality of life.