New cancer trial in Cork welcomed as 'a really positive step’

A woman who underwent brain surgery after breast cancer spread to her brain has welcomed a new cancer trial in Cork, saying she hopes it will help other patients avoid some of the uncertainty she faced.

The trial opens in October and will run for an initial two years with patients at Cork University Hospital.

Aislinn Higgins, 48, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, which advanced and spread to her brain. 

Now undergoing treatment and hoping to see her 11-year-old twin daughters grow up, she described the new initiative as "a really positive step".

"You hear a metastatic diagnosis and straight away your mind goes somewhere very tragic and awful," she said.

Ms Higgins underwent brain surgery in 2023, describing it as a "huge decision, with huge implications".

She was part of a patient advisory group involved in the Melody trial, which will use routine blood tests to identify the genetic characteristics of advanced breast cancers, helping doctors tailor treatments and monitor how patients respond.

Reducing the need for invasive procedures 

Researchers say the approach could reduce the need for invasive procedures while providing more information on why particular treatments do or do not work. Breast cancer affects one in seven women in Ireland

“This trial will hopefully, in the future, lead to more treatment options and more individualised treatment plans for patients with advanced/metastatic breast cancers," Ms Higgins said.

She said that for patients, this means "more time with our loved ones and, for me specifically, I get to continue watching my children grow up".

Ms Higgins said taking her daughters to visit a local secondary school recently was another milestone she was grateful to experience.

She said she hopes this trial and innovative drugs which have helped her can inspire positivity in others too.

“So when you hear stories similar to mine — that I am doing well, there’s a drug out there that works for me, there are drugs that work for other people — it helps you put one foot in front of the other, put on your positive pants and keep going."

Ms Higgins said she enjoyed giving feedback on the trial design. 

"You do feel that you’re making some bit of an impact which is lovely to be able to give back, because we get so much.” 

Simple blood test 

Dr Emer Lynch developed the trial with funding from a Breakthrough Clinical Cancer Research fellowship.

“It will investigate the use of a simple blood test, known as a liquid biopsy, to identify genetic changes in cancer cells,” she said.

“The aim is to provide clinicians with additional information about an individual’s cancer which could help inform more personalised treatment decisions." 

She explained the benefits for patients. 

“Up until now in Ireland, we have only been able to do this type of testing on tumour tissue biopsies, which can be time-consuming and is invasive for patients," she said.

"But we now know that many genetic alterations can be detected in blood tests instead.” 

Funding came from Breakthrough Cancer Research, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Health Research Board, and industry partners.