Clinical trial spots Preston man’s potentially cancerous polyp

Clinical trial spots Preston man’s potentially cancerous polyp

A clinical trial being run at a specialist site in Preston spotted a potentially cancerous polyp. Paul Sadler signed up to participate in the trial but had no idea that he could discover a potentially life-threatening health issue in the process.  

Paul says, “My GP invited me to participate in a clinical trial with Panthera. I had never been part of a clinical trial before, but I was immediately interested. I have been pretty health-conscious since both my parents died of cancer, and the clinical trial seemed like a great opportunity to get a more thorough health check and, hopefully, a clean bill of health. Having gone through the experience of diagnosis and treatment with my parents, I know how important it is to spot any potential issues early, even if you might not have any symptoms.”

Paul was invited to the specialist clinical trial site in Preston, run by British site management organisation (SMO) Panthera Biopartners, for standard screening ahead of being enrolled in the trial.

“As part of the clinical trial, I had a blood test and was given a colonoscopy, and during that, they found a very large polyp in my colon. I was immediately afraid that it might be cancer, which obviously caused a lot of anxiety at the time, but the clinical trial team from Panthera were fantastically supportive and made the process as easy as it could be.”

“I had the colonoscopy on the Friday, and Panthera immediately referred me to hospital. They also phoned me a few days later to make sure I was coping and that my referral was moving forwards. The ongoing contact and support from Panthera, especially when I was feeling worried and anxious about a possible cancer diagnosis, was very reassuring.”

Paul wants to encourage others to take part in clinical trials, not only to help with the development of new treatments, but also to monitor your own health.

He says, “In the run-up to my colonoscopy, I had absolutely no symptoms and no inkling that there might be something wrong. I really don’t think that without the colonoscopy and subsequent CT scan I would have been diagnosed for a long time.”

“Luckily, when my polyp was analysed it was found to be non-cancerous, but I have since had two operations: the first to remove the large polyp, and the second to remove seven smaller polyps. I will have annual follow-ups with my doctor from now on to monitor and remove any more polyps. Ironically, I just had my first bowel cancer screening test come in the post!”

“The journey has been well worth it for me because I have found out so much more about my health. I would definitely consider doing another clinical trial if asked – why wouldn’t you, if it gives you the chance to find out about a possible health issue early?”

Data from the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) shows that despite 68% of people in the UK saying they would consider taking part in a clinical trial, more than 9 in 10 people have never signed up. In August 2024 the government launched a joint public-private investment programme worth up to £400 million to boost the UK’s clinical trial industry.

Panthera, the SMO, that ran Paul’s trial has six dedicated clinical trial sites across the UK in Glasgow, York, Sheffield, Preston, Rochdale and Enfield, carries out clinical trials for pharma, biotechs and CROs across a broad range of therapy areas including vaccines, cardiovascular, general medicine, neurology, respiratory and rheumatology.

Notes to editors:

About Panthera Biopartners

• Panthera is the UK’s largest Site Management Organisation (SMO) that recruits patients and runs clinical trials at six dedicated clinical trial clinics across the UK on behalf of its clients - CROs and pharma.
• The SMO model was originated by Dr Ian Smith MBE – one of the founders of Panthera Biopartners. In 1991 Ian, who was a GP in Chorley, recognised that running clinical trials on a professional basis required a separate organisation that could enrol patients from surrounding GP practices and run the clinics separately so that patients who took part in the trials were not caught up with the patients attending a GP practice. Synexus grew to become the largest SMO in the world with clinics across four continents.
• Since launching in 2019, Panthera has continued to refine the SMO model and has quickly grown to be number one in the UK recruiting patients and running trials on behalf of ten of the top twelve pharmaceutical companies and seven of the top CROs.