Professor David Ferry

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Department of Oncology
New Cross Hospital, Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust
Wolverhampton

Testing new treatments for oesophageal cancer

Professor David Ferry is Professor of Medical Oncology at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. He is leading a large clinical trial to see if the drug gefitinib (Iressa) can improve survival in people who have oesophageal cancer that has come back.

Oesophageal cancer can be difficult to treat as it’s frequently diagnosed at a late stage. And as with many cancers, it can sometimes return after treatment.

Doctors often use chemotherapy to treat oesophageal cancer that has come back, but while some patients respond well to this treatment, others may not. Professor Ferry is leading a trial to see if the drug gefitinib may be a more effective way to treat the disease. Altogether, 450 people will take part in the study.

Gefitinib works by blocking certain molecules – known as EGFR receptors – that are found in large amounts on the surface of oesophageal cancer cells. When they’re activated, these receptors send messages to the cancer cells to multiply. Blocking them should stop or slow down the growth of the cancer cells. As this treatment specifically targets cancer cells and leaves healthy cells unharmed, it may also have fewer side effects.

Through this trial, Professor Ferry hopes to find out if gefitinib will improve survival for these patients, and give them a better quality of life.

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