The brother of a patient who took part in the CTC’s PEACE study has spoken about his family’s experience in an interview.
Mark Sims, who was first diagnosed with a melanoma in 2003, passed away in January of this year after his cancer returned and, having spread, was deemed incurable.
In a conversation with Cancer Research UK, his twin brother Dave (pictured above) remarked: ‘When Mark found out how serious his diagnosis was, he accepted it. He remained hopeful, but realistic. He wanted to do the best he could in the time he had.’
In addition to raising £180,000 for CRUK, Mark also agreed to take part in PEACE, which has been sponsored by the CTC since 2016.
Senior Trial Coordinator Abby Sharp explained the concept underpinning the study: ‘The purpose of the PEACE study is to increase our understanding of the changes that occur in each patient’s cancer by looking at blood and tumour samples taken from patients who have recently passed away.’
She added: ‘It is hoped that the study will help doctors to understand how cancer develops and spreads, how and why treatment stops working, and how the body reacts in the final stages of cancer.’
Mark joins a total of 40 others who have so far agreed to take part in the posthumous research which is taking place.
The full interview with Dave Sims—who spoke on behalf of the rest of Mark’s family—can be read
here, and a video interview can be watched
here.