A young Fife dad may receive new treatment to prolong his life after brain surgery.
Liam Vincent-Kilbride, 30, underwent six hours of surgery at Ninewells Hospital earlier in November to try to remove a tumour growing in his brain.
The Balmullo man has since been told only 80% of the growth was removed, so it will continue to expand.
Doctors say his condition is incurable – but that he doesn’t have malignant cancer.
New treatment could give Liam years longer to live
The Courier reported that Liam underwent the operation awake and was awaiting the results of a biopsy to learn if the tumour was malignant.
His oncologist says he has the chance to take new treatment still being trialled.
If successful, this could add years to his life.
Liam said: “This is the best option I could have hoped for – I am very excited by what I am being offered.
“This could potentially add years to my life – even allowing me to live long enough for a cure to be found.”
Liam has been told he has a grade of glioma – a tumour that forms when glial cells grow out of control.
This means there are slow-growing cells in the brain tissue.
He added: “However, I don’t have malignant cancer growing around my brain.
“The remaining 20% of my tumour is still living and working tissues.
“Removing it could have cost me my ability to speak or even some mobility.
“The good news is that because it is very slow growing, I’ve likely had this for 10 years, explaining so much of my, until now unexplainable, medical history.
“It isn’t curable but with finding it so young and acting on it with some ‘medical aggression’ hopefully means I have another 30 years in me – if not more.”
Fife dad says new drug is ‘very exciting option’ for tumour
Liam said: “The option I have been given now is very exciting for me.
“I am to be trialling a new treatment just recently approved – Vorasidenib – in the form of one tablet a day.
“This is an inhibitor and while this is not a cure and comes with its own potential risks it appears to be less abrasive and does not have the possible long-lasting life-altering effects that can come with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”
He added: “I’m very excited to get going as soon as the drug is delivered from the pharmaceutical company in France where it is made.”
It was five years ago that Liam began feeling unwell.
At the time he was a very fit personal trainer also performing in musical theatre locally and across the country, including in London.
He and his wife Sheona have children Indiana, 2, and Daisy 5.
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