Robert Lane - patient and research participant
Robert Lane - patient and research participant
Robert Lane was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015. Since this time he has taken part in six research studies, motivated to help improve care for people in his position in the future.
“I was devastated when I received my cancer diagnosis. My blood tests showed very high Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. My treatment began quickly. I underwent 37 sessions of radiotherapy, which brought down my PSA levels, but these would continue to need controlling over time.
“I was asked to consider being part of a research project into different ways of treating prostate cancer. It seemed like a good idea. If I was going to suffer from prostate cancer and I could help scientists learn from it so that others with prostate cancer could benefit in the future, then it would make it worthwhile.
“Since then I have taken part in six studies and, where I was in the group receiving novel treatment, these have helped keep my PSA levels under control. My most recent treatment has reduced my PSA astonishingly – it had started ramping up and so far the treatments have achieved an overall PSA reduction of 98.3%. I am doing incredibly well with few side effects.
“As a patient and research participant, I have found the team at Royal Surrey very reassuring. They are very knowledgeable, explain everything well and they're very friendly. They made me really feel like part of the family. The researcher who ran my first trial has stayed in touch and always stops to greet me when I bump into him, which is lovely.”