A clinical trial delivering promising results for Michael
“It’s reassuring to have someone who has your back. It gives you hope.”
When Michael was diagnosed with liver cancer during the height of COVID, he found his way to one of the team of clinical trial coordinators at Westmead Hospital, Fran.
Recognising the urgency of his situation, Fran swiftly connected Michael with Professor Jacob George, a renowned expert in liver disease and cancer at WIMR and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Westmead Hospital. Jacob’s team ensured that Michael’s surgery was arranged without delay.
“… research could have saved my life. Being on the clinical trial and receiving additional drugs that aren’t currently available might have made all the difference.”
Following the operation, Michael was placed on a clinical trial that concluded two years ago. So far, his results have been promising. Reflecting on his journey, he acknowledges that research may have saved his life. The clinical trial provided him access to treatments that weren’t yet widely available—an opportunity that could have made all the difference.
The trial which Michael participated in showed promising results, leading to a $6 million NHMRC grant, Led by Professor George, to expand this research into a nationwide study across 13 hospitals in Australia. This next phase will help refine treatment approaches and improve outcomes for more patients. This follows work which scientists at WIMR had been conducting to understand how the immune system interacts with liver cancer and identified markers that could predict how patients respond to new treatments. This work helped shape the IMbrave050 clinical trial that Michael participated in, which tested a combination of two immunotherapy drugs, atezolizumab and bevacizumab, to prevent liver cancer from returning after surgery.
For Michael, knowing that someone had his back gave him hope. Now, his story stands as a testament to the impact of research at WIMR — not just in individual lives, but in shaping the future of cancer treatment.
“It’s reassuring to have someone who has your back. It gives you hope.”
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