Charles' story - MRIdian radiotherapy for inoperable pancreatic cancer

Charles has always led an active lifestyle. He’s water rafted in Costa Rica, flown jet ranger helicopters, microlights and paraglided off Table Mountain in Cape Town. 

In March 2019 Charles was given the devastating news he had pancreatic cancer and underwent major surgery and 6 months of chemotherapy.  After which he had regular follow up scans.  It was at one of these at the beginning of 2020 that his clinician noticed his cancer had spread to a lymph node close to his aorta, a large blood vessel in his abdomen. Due to its position, his treatment options were extremely limited. 

Thankfully Charles was referred to Dr James Good at GenesisCare in Oxford and was identified as a suitable candidate for radiotherapy on the MRIdian MR linac , a ground-breaking technology that allows doctors to see the tumour as they’re treating, ensuring submillimetre accuracy. In October 2020 he underwent 5 radiotherapy sessions on the MRIdian MR linac over 2 weeks.

This innovative treatment gave Charles 18 months of remission enabling him to live a good quality of life and make every day count – which Charles is determined to do.  Charles’ personal motto is ‘Carpe Diem’. Since then, he’s added to his already amazing achievements by flying a Spitfire, visiting Niagra falls and in September 2023 he completed a skydive to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Charles explains, “I really thought my time was up. Thankfully the MRIdian was able to do what no other treatment could, and I've been given more time than I ever imagined possible to do all the things I want to do. 

- Charles' parachute jump for Pancreatic Cancer UK, Sept 2023

Thank you MRIdian for saving my life, because that's what it did!

Despite Charles’ doctor discovering new tumours in April 2022, thanks to his treatment on the MRIdian he was in a great position health-wise to undergo further chemotherapy and continue with a good quality of life. 

Charles is planning to tick off even more of his bucket list and has recently returned from a holiday of a lifetime in the Maldives. He's also planning to fly an ex-military Strikemaster jet, and lots more exciting adventures.

“I’m living proof there’s hope for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that inoperable doesn’t mean untreatable. Advances in cancer treatments and technology can help you live for longer and with a good quality of life. I hope my story encourages people to turn their fears into knowledge and live life to the full.”

Dr James Good, Clinical Director for Stereotactic Radiotherapy at GenesisCare, explains, “Technological advances in radiotherapy have made it possible to tackle previously hard-to-treat cancers. We’re now able to treat inoperable tumours in the pancreas, and even secondary tumours in other organs, with radiation doses high enough to control them life-long. Charles was referred to me for this specialist treatment four years ago, when his cancer had been found to have spread to a lymph node that his local oncologist felt couldn’t be safely treated on a standard radiotherapy machine but the MRIdian made it possible to do just that, and we saw his cancer go into remission for over a year - giving him more time to do the things he loves.” 

- Charles with Dr James Good

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer vary for each person depending on how far their cancer has spread and their general health, but all too often the outcomes are poor. This has to change.

MRIdian radiotherapy is emerging as a promising treatment and we’re proud to be the first healthcare provider in the UK to offer MRIdian radiotherapy for people with inoperable pancreatic cancer, with treatment starting within 5 days of referral.

MRIdian can also be used to treat pancreatic cancer when it has spread to a small number of other areas of the body, such as liver, lung or lymph nodes.