Man's brain tumour funding plea to government

Mark Thompson credits treatment he received in Germany for his brain tumour going into remission

A man who underwent cancer treatment abroad after being told by the NHS that his condition was terminal has called on the government to increase funding for brain tumour research.

Mark Thompson, from Littlehampton, West Sussex, was told he had between three to five years to live after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

After getting a second opinion he raised £100,000 for immunotherapy treatment in Germany, which is not available on the NHS, and is now cancer free.

Mr Thompson, now 38, said he found the limited treatment options available to him in the UK "incredibly frustrating", but the Department for Health said it had invested £40m in researching new treatments.

After he was diagnosed Mr Thompson underwent surgery to remove the tumour, but surgeons were unable to get at the surrounding cancer cells.

He was given radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but was told his condition was terminal.

Mr Thompson went for a second opinion and it was recommended that he sought treatment privately with a doctor in Germany.

The first treatment cost nearly £12,000, followed by monthly doses costing about £7,000 a time.

He now needs treatment every six to eight months, which he hopes to maintain.

Mark Thompson is continuing to fundraise for futher treatment in Germany

"My oncologist in Sussex wasn’t happy about me having any alternative treatments, but I had to do what’s right for me. I just don’t think the NHS looks at any other possible treatment, it’s chemo and radio and that’s it.

"What I have found incredibly frustrating in this whole journey is how limited treatments are in this country."

Mr Thompson and his wife Sophia have three children aged between eight and 17

Mr Thompson has joined the charity Brain Tumour Research in calling on the government to increase research funding to £35m a year by 2028.

Hugh Adams from the charity said: "More must be done to develop treatments in this country for patients like Mark, so they are not forced into having to travel abroad for care.

“Patients and families continue to be let down by a funding system that is built in silos and not fit for purpose."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We’ve invested in every suitable application made and the funding will continue to be available for further studies to develop new treatments and therapies for brain tumours.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also been approached for comment.