Adam Nicolson was in a wheelchair and couldn’t walk, but is now back gardening.
Adam Nicolson was saved by a miracle new treatment
A dad who was “practically dead” with incurable cancer has been saved by a miracle treatment. Adam Nicolson, 55, was told in summer 2023 that he had reached the end of the line in treatment for the blood cancer myeloma and to prepare for a final Christmas with his wife and three daughters.
But at the 11th hour, he was offered a pioneering new treatment called CAR-T through a clinical trial, becoming the only Scot to receive it. He is in remission 18 months later and getting back to as near normal a life as possible.
Adam, from Stirling, is calling for CAR-T to be made widely available on the NHS and for more treatments for myeloma in Scotland. He said: “I’ve been so lucky. I’m only here because my consultants put me forward for the trial.
“They really pushed for me to get it. I’ve a good standard of life now, when I was practically dead before. I was in a wheelchair, I couldn’t walk. That’s how much of a difference it has made.”
He is back gardening and doctors are confident his remission will be measured in years. Myeloma is a relapsing-remitting cancer, which means that although many patients will experience periods of remission following treatment, the disease will return.
Adam said: “At the beginning of the summer I was told that was it, that the last course of treatment was going to give me until Christmas.
Adam during his clinical trial
“All the lines of treatment had failed – they would work for about six months and then the cancer would come back. It took a toll, not just on me but on my family.
“Then they said, there’s this trial at the Queen Elizabeth in Glasgow called CAR-T that could prolong your life.”
Cells were removed from his body and sent to the US for analysis and genetic modification, then returned and retransplanted. The treatment took a toll on his body and he was in an extremely weakened state.
Adam with his trial nurses Laura and Trishia
He said: “I couldn’t walk. My recovery has been extremely hard but, touch wood, my myeloma is in complete remission. I’m alive and getting stronger.”
Now he is focusing on making new memories with his wife Linsey and daughters Jennifer, 23, Rosie, 22, and Julia, 18, who he credits for helping him through the treatment.
Careers adviser Adam was 50 when he was diagnosed with myeloma at the start of lockdown in March 2020 but by the time it was discovered, the disease had started eating away at his bones and his hip was like “Swiss cheese”.
Adam with wife Linsey(Image: Supplied.)
He also had tumours on his shoulder, spine and hip. He had gone to his GP the year before when he started noticing a big drop in his fitness levels.
A blood test found nothing concerning but when he later fell ill, struggled to walk far and began vomiting bile, his cancer was found at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Adam has teamed up with blood cancer charity Myeloma UK to call for greater access to new life-changing treatments in Scotland, including CAR-T.
Shelagh McKinlay, its director of research and advocacy, said: “CAR-T is unavailable on the NHS in the UK but we understand it will soon be available privately. We firmly believe there should be no financial barriers to accessing treatments.”
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You’ll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you’re on mobile, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in!
If you’re on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click ‘Join Community’.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.