Hi.
You might remember last year, Hi.
You might remember last year,
we brought you the story of Professor Richard Scolyer,
we brought you the story the melanoma expert
dealing with brain cancer.
Since then, he and his research colleague went on to be named
the 2024 Australians of the Year,
not just for their groundbreaking work in skin cancer,
not just for their groundbreaking which is saving countless lives,
but also because of their efforts trialling a revolutionary but risky
treatment for Professor Scolyer's tumour.
It's now ten months since his original diagnosis for an illness
that usually carries a life expectancy of up to 14 months,
and so, of course, everyone is desperate to know
how things are going.
RICHARD: Morning.
So, it's now ten months out since my tumour first presented.
So, it's now ten months out Thank you for picking us up.
We know the average time to recurrence for the nasty sort
of brain tumour I've got is about six months,
so I'm a little nervous about whether anything
so I'm a little nervous gets picked up.
Yeah, just part of the journey that I'm on.
The treatment I'm having has never been tried before in brain cancer.
No-one knew what it was going to do.
People were nervous.
But when you're faced with a certain death,
But when you're faced it's a no-brainer for me.
I'm on my way for another MRI scan,
looking for...recurrent tumour's I'm on my way for another MRI scan,
looking for...recurrent tumour's the main thing,
looking for...recurrent tumour's but also treatment effects.
MAN: People all around the world will be watching very closely,
MAN: People all around the world because if they can have success,
it will revolutionise the treatment of brain cancer.
It will be a breakthrough, a medical breakthrough.
If the scan's clear today, it'll be a celebration in my heart,
If the scan's clear today, and hopefully many other people.
I can enjoy more of my life,
and can help future brain cancer patients.
Another MRI scan done,
Garry, so, yeah, Another MRI scan done,
Garry, so, yeah, wait for the result later on...
..later on, hopefully today, or during the course of the week.
..later on, hopefully today, But fingers crossed.
Thanks for your support, Garry.
I really appreciate it.
GIRL: Dad hasn't slowed down since he was diagnosed.
Sorry about that. Let's do it.
It would be really easy for him to just sort of stop Sorry about that. Let's do it.
It would be really easy for him to just sort of stop
all of the things that made him who he is
and put all of his worry into thinking about the cancer,
and put all of his worry but it hasn't stopped him at all.
WOMAN: Richard is my closest colleague,
but he's also one of my best friends.
Getting into training for a triathlon, that's...
Richard brought me into that, and I love it.
When Richard was diagnosed, some of my close colleagues were saying,
"Don't be Richard's medical oncologist, just be his friend," When Richard was diagnosed, some of my close colleagues were saying,
"Don't be Richard's medical oncologist, just be his friend,"
"Don't be Richard's medical and I'm thinking, "Stuff that."
I'm not using 15 years of my bloody hard work,
like, hard, long hours' work not to apply it to my friend.
like, hard, long hours' work Where are the rules here?
WOMAN: Richard and Georgina are the co-medical directors
WOMAN: Richard and Georgina are of the Melanoma Institute Australia,
one a pathologist, one a medical oncologist.
They have spent decades pioneering new treatments one a pathologist, one a medical oncologist.
They have spent decades pioneering new treatments
They have spent decades for melanoma patients.
Richard Scolyer's my name.
Nice to meet you. Yeah, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you. We've taken everything,
absolutely every bit of knowledge We've taken everything,
absolutely every bit of knowledge from melanoma,
and we've thrown it at Richard's tumour.
I'm in the surgical suite at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital,
where I've actually worked for 25 years.
I'm more than happy to be the guinea pig to do this. where I've actually worked for 25 years.
I'm more than happy to be the guinea pig to do this.
In fact, I see it as an opportunity to hopefully make my life better,
but to blow open that brain cancer field and transform it,
but to blow open that brain cancer for all brain cancer patients.
I guess, in truth, I'm anxious and nervous
about how it's going to turn out,
but I know I'm in great hands, with a great team...
It is dangerous.
It may result in worse outcomes.
But there's a lot of hope for Richard,
But there's a lot of hope and I want him around.
I want him around, long-term.
I remember, when I was a kid, I'd come up here every day
in the summer holidays.
It was a very Launceston thing,
because you'd always come here,
and there'd always be people you knew here.
Richard's my younger brother.
We grew up in Riverside, in Launceston, Tasmania.
Our parents took us on lots of travel and walking within Tasmania.
Then did all the normal things that people did,
kicking the footy, playing footy, riding bikes.
Every summer, we'll go to stay in a caravan park in Ulverstone,
Every summer, we'll go to stay on the north-west coast,
and we'd breed our skin cancer, basically,
by going to the beach, all day, every day,
by going to the beach, all day, and playing cricket on the beach,
going for, I don't know, ten swims, sometimes, a day.
Richard studied medicine at the University of Tasmania,
and then ultimately ended up in Sydney.
MAN: Good morning, Richard. Morning, gentlemen.
Tumour extends down into the reticular dermis 15mm.
MAN: Richard quickly established himself
as someone with an interest in melanoma, MAN: Richard quickly established himself
as someone with an interest in melanoma,
and I encouraged him to develop this interest.
So really, Richard, this is a pretty nasty-looking tumour we have.
So really, Richard, this is a pretty Yeah, absolutely. It's...
Now, Richard is undoubtedly one of the top melanoma pathologists
Now, Richard is undoubtedly one in the world at the present time.
MAN: The world's biggest melanoma research and treatment centre
MAN: The world's biggest melanoma has opened in Sydney.
I joined the team in 2009 as a medical oncologist.
At that time, there was nothing for melanoma,
At that time, there was nothing no drug therapies.
Patients in my waiting room,
I would only ever know them for 6 to 9 months, Patients in my waiting room,
I would only ever know them for 6 to 9 months,
because they died, for 6 to 9 months,
because they died,
and it was a rare patient who would survive beyond a year or two.
MAN: It's an 82-year-old gentleman with an extensive history
MAN: It's an 82-year-old gentleman of multi-recurrent...
WOMAN: It was essentially incurable,
and that all changed with the use of immunotherapies in around 2010.
So what's our opinion? Surgeons? Head and neck surgeon.
So what's our opinion? With immunotherapy,
we stimulate the immune system in a very specific way,
so that the immune system can see the enemy,
so that the immune system that's the cancer, and kill it.
OK? Happy with that? Everyone happy?
15 years ago, if you had melanoma that had spread around your body,
15 years ago, if you had melanoma the survival rates were terrible.
Less than 5% of people were alive five years later, the survival rates were terrible.
Less than 5% of people were alive five years later,
and now, it's more than 55% of people alive five years later.
Seems to be a lot of nodding around the room, Georgina.
Yeah, OK, and that's...
During that time, the institute grew,
so did the drug therapies that worked in melanoma,
so did the drug therapies so did the research program,
and with all of that activity and knowledge in melanoma and cancer,
we could not but help apply it
to Richard's glioblastoma.
In May, I went to Poland, to Krakow,
to lecture in a conference.
My wife, Katie, came with me.
We climbed up into the mountains in southern Poland,
and that was incredible scenery.
The next day,
I woke up in the morning not feeling right,
like I was about to pass out, or even die.
like I was about to pass out, I, um...
And I just...
Like, that's all I remember.
I had a seizure and, um, fell onto the floor.
I had a seizure and, um, I had a red mark on my head,
where I must have grazed it on the carpet when I hit the floor.
They transferred him to the University Hospital in Krakow,
where he had an MRI scan of the brain.
Katie, his wife, rang me and said, "There's a lesion,"
to which I gasped, and...
You know, when you... when you have a seizure
and there's an MRI with a lesion in a...
..in a 56-year-old man, which is Richard,
..in a 56-year-old man, it's usually not great news.
I sent the scans straight to Brinda Shivalingam
I sent the scans straight and said, "What do you think?"
WOMAN: I just had one quick look at it
WOMAN: I just had one quick look and knew what we were dealing with.
The biopsy definitively told us
that this was an IDH wild type glioblastoma...
..the most aggressive type of primary brain cancer.
I knew what that meant. That's certain death.
I just...I just...how?
Just...to come to terms with Richard...
I knew immediately he had a... a bad tumour.
To be facing a death sentence. Um...
Yeah, I'm not ready for this. Um...
Yeah, I love my life.
I love my family.
I've got three teenage children.
I love my work.
I love my colleagues.
I love contributing to society.
I don't want to die yet.
EMILY: Was definitely stressful.
Definitely a shock.
Immediately discussion started about,
"OK, what are we going to do about this?
"How are we going to move forward with treatment?"
The survival time for glioblastoma, just with standard treatment,
is in the order of about 12 to 14 months.
Standard therapy hasn't changed in 18 years.
Radiation and chemotherapy is just to prolong life a little bit better.
Radiation and chemotherapy is just to It doesn't cure anyone.
I started to hatch a plan
and think about how we could treat Richard's tumour
by using everything I had learnt and developed in melanoma to bear
on how we might approach Richard's glioblastoma.
So the plan was to give immunotherapy before
the tumour is removed from Richard's brain.
JOHN: This is completely contrary to standard treatment.
Normally everyone says, "Quick, quick!
"We must remove the tumour as soon as we can."
But we believe that by giving the immunotherapy
while the tumour is still there,
it has a better chance of developing that immune response.
it has a better chance of developing IDH wild type...
Um...promoter TERT mutated...
Even though it's risky - and it IS risky -
I just give them a whiff of the idea
and he went, "Yep, I want this. Yes."
Hey, Emma.
HELEN: It's truly first in the world.
It is experimental therapy.
We have no data on what will happen in terms of prolonging his survival.
WOMAN: What are we going to do?
Had some blood out of this arm this morning, so...
Had some blood out of this arm People were pretty nervous about it,
and to be honest, there was quite People were pretty nervous about it,
and to be honest, there was quite a bit of resistance initially
and to be honest, there was quite to get people on board.
How long do you give it to go in?
Half an hour.
There's risks in having this form of therapy.
You might get swelling of the tumour,
and there's risk when you give subsequent doses
that you can actually go into a liver failure.
that you can actually go (MACHINE BEEPS)
Yeah. Just going in.
But there's also an upside risk that...that I might live longer.
But there's also an upside risk Thank you very much.
And there's a small chance that I... that I could be even cured.
Hello. Hi.
How are you? Nice to see you. Yeah...
It just feels right to do this.
For me to be the guinea pig,
for Georgina to lead this as an opportunity,
for us to together to make a difference in brain cancer,
for us to together to make like what we've done in melanoma.
So your liver tests were good this morning.
Oh, great. Yeah.
Um, how are you feeling? Yeah, OK, I guess.
If it wasn't Richard, I...wouldn't happen,
because he understands the risks of doing things differently.
And he understands the potential benefit.
EMILY: Two weeks after immunotherapy,
EMILY: Two weeks after he had a big operation to remove
most of the tumour that was in his brain.
BRINDHA: It's a difficult tumour to operate on.
It is a very infiltrative and invasive through the brain,
and it sends out little microscopic tentacles of cells. It is a very infiltrative and invasive through the brain,
and it sends out little microscopic tentacles of cells.
That's what makes it very difficult, or near impossible,
to surgically remove every last bit of it and get every cell.
That's going to be my boundary. OK?
I don't think we need to go further back.
I don't want to go back into the hippocampus.
What you just said to me makes me feel more comfortable.
What you just said to me Yeah.
I'm a little nervous about the operation. Craniotomy.
Having to remove as much of my tumour as possible
without leaving too much functional deficit.
When you're losing part of your brain, that...
Yeah, I was scared shitless, to be honest,
that I'd be left with, um, functional problems.
You want to preserve Richard as Richard,
but get out as much tumour as possible.
It's stressful anyway,
but to operate on a friend and a It's stressful anyway,
but to operate on a friend and a colleague is incredibly stressful.
Brindha's just texted.
It is 2 o'clock.
(READS) "All done.
"Just doing a final diagnostic scan and then we'll wake him up."
Yay!
Fantastic.
I better just send a thumbs-up.
Makes me cry. And a love heart. And stars.
Makes me cry. And a love heart. Yep. Good.
Ah, Emmy, my eldest daughter. Hi, Dad. (LAUGHS)
You are so wonderful.
Can you give me a kiss?
Thanks for coming to see me. Um...
To be honest, I feel better
than what I did after the operation I had two and a bit weeks ago
where I had biopsies.
Yeah.
Yeah, mentally, I feel like I'm still on the board.
My wife's testing me out with a whole lot of, um, mental capacity.
My wife's testing me out with What's my BP?
Um, 22 over 65. What's my BP?
Um, 22 over 65. Perfect.
What's the heart rate? 59.
Wow.
Not as fit as I normally am, but not too bad.
Dad was talking normally, joking with us, interacting.
He was telling me how I had to improve my resume Dad was talking normally, joking with us, interacting.
He was telling me how I had to improve my resume
about an hour after he got out of surgery.
I'm really happy with how everything went.
I'm really happy You know, it's always a bonus
when you wake up and you're perfectly fine.
Hi! Hi.
Hi! All dressed up there, Georgina.
Yeah. I was at work.
Look at you.
Same scar.
Hair's still there. Ha.
Fashionable purple. Can I take a photo?
This is amazing.
Oh, it's so good. Yeah.
You haven't taken the Richard out of the Richard.
The two people have supported me so much in sorting out...
I got out of hospital two days after surgery...
..not nearly as knocked about as what I'd expected.
..not nearly as knocked about So, thanks, Brindha.
It's now, what, four weeks after I had that surgery?
I've started on, um, radiotherapy, um, last week,
and that seems to be... seems to be going well.
And...and how... Would you say mild, moderate, or fulminant?
HELEN: The big results that we were really excited with
was a huge infiltration of immune cells into the tumour.
was a huge infiltration That's really important.
No, that's good.
That means that those immune cells were somehow activated in the body. No, that's good.
That means that those immune cells were somehow activated in the body.
Hopefully what they're doing is killing the cancer.
GEORGINA: Richard is having ongoing immunotherapy.
Richard, we're doing vaccine number two today.
And the next stage of the plan is to give Richard a personalised vaccine.
Fine, apart from a bloody sore arm afterwards.
We look at what's specific to that individual person's cancer
and try to get the immune system to recognise that specific cancer.
and try to get the immune system All done.
Right. Nice and tight.
Hey.
The world's melanoma and immunotherapy expert!
GARRY: It's a radical treatment. We hope it works.
But it's such an uncertain area GARRY: It's a radical treatment. We hope it works.
But it's such an uncertain area
that we don't really know But it's such an uncertain area
that we don't really know at the moment,
And I'm sure even he and Georgina, for all their brilliance,
don't exactly know how well it's going to work.
We're going to be checking your liver, your kidney function,
We're going to be checking as well as your full blood count.
BRINDHA: There isn't a single part as well as your full blood count.
BRINDHA: There isn't a single part of Richard
that has not been analysed and probed
during the course of this treatment.
Maybe do a short course...
I think everyone is watching and waiting
I think everyone is watching to see how well Richard does.
Yesterday, Christian and I had
a discussion about creating a visual time line.
So we're trying to back everything up with science
to show that what we're doing, So we're trying to back everything up with science
to show that what we're doing,
if it does happen to work,
WHY it's working,
or if it doesn't work, why does it not work?
So that's the important piece in this.
So that's the important piece It's the science.
Because only then can we use this data to help other patients,
meaning next step's clinical trial.
We have to get clinical trials up front.
We have to get clinical trials His drug, his vaccine.
HELEN: All the results we have so far are positive.
I have to be honest, I am hoping that we could cure him.
I know it's unlikely - I'm a realist -
but I also know that these drugs are phenomenal.
So here we are today, four months after my diagnosis,
with incredible guidance from Georgina,
supported by the Melanoma Institute team
and unwavering support from my family,
for which I can never thank them enough.
for which I can never thank them Since Richard's diagnosis,
he and Georgina have been on a roller-coaster, really,
trying to get the word out about what they're trying to do.
trying to get the word out We have generated in ten weeks
discoveries that would normally take many years.
discoveries that would normally We hope for nothing more than
both of us being able to stand here again this time next year,
as proof that the breakthroughs we've outlined today
and our calls for change have saved lives.
and our calls for change (APPLAUSE)
JOHN: He's being very brave
and putting on a strong outward show of strength, and... JOHN: He's being very brave
and putting on a strong outward show of strength, and...
..all his friends and colleagues are doing their very best
..all his friends and colleagues to support him in that.
But I know that he struggles a lot.
You could chop them up into dice
and put them in the tabbouleh, You could chop them up into dice
and put them in the tabbouleh, I think.
Alright. I can do that.
Alright. I feel a little bad that, um...
..that at times, um, you know, irritable or...yeah.
..that at times, um, Or my tempers sometimes raise.
I think my personality before all of this happened,
I had more...reserved all of this happened,
I had more...reserved
and I wouldn't...wouldn't fire up about things
so much as what I do now. fire up about things
so much as what I do now.
Part of it must be...
Because you can see this defined period
of how much you're likely to be alive for, and I feel like...
..I want to get things finished off.
I want to get the...the...the tasks ..I want to get things finished off.
I want to get the...the...the tasks completed, and...
I want to get the...the...the tasks It's all aspects of life.
(SIZZLING) What time did you get home?
9:30. Mm.
9:30. (LAUGHS) OK.
Not a very late party. What was it...
My kids are starting to get a sense Not a very late party. What was it...
My kids are starting to get a sense of how serious it is, so...
I get that's hard on the kids, and they...
I get that's hard on the kids, At times we have emotional moments.
Wow. That's amazing. I didn't know that.
And so all the water was pouring out of them.
Mum has been a rock for everybody, including Dad.
Mum has been a rock for everybody, Why don't you put him over there?
Even though she herself is dealing with so much.
So, mate, you know you only turn it once, right?
But Mum is also a pathologist, like Dad,
and she's happy for Dad to keep pursuing it
and she's happy for Dad because he knows that
it has the potential to make a difference to so many people.
(GENERAL HUBBUB)
Lovely to see you.
It's a possibility for me that this could be my last chance
to see family and friends in Tasmania,
and that's part of the reason why I'm so excited to be here.
First time I've seen you in person since my brain cancer diagnosis.
It was a bit of a shock.
A bit! More than a bit.
BRINDHA: The length of survival is a complete unknown at this stage.
See his scalp? Oh! (CHUCKLES)
It's not too... No, it's not...
Healing up pretty well.
We know that, you know, if he sort of gets to
6, 9 months, 12 months without recurrence...
..it's looking promising that at the very least it's extending survival.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Back there for us.
The most anxious thing is,
is your tumour going to come back?
And that the main way that that's detected is through an MRI scan.
And that the main way that that's Coming back on again.
It's a rather stressful waiting period
for Richard and all those who care deeply about him.
The longer you go on without recurrence,
The longer you go on the more likely it's going to happen,
because it almost inevitably... inevitably does.
So, yeah, I'm certainly more scared about it now
So, yeah, I'm certainly more than what I was a few months ago.
HELEN: We are so engaged in the research aspects
HELEN: We are so engaged of what we're doing.
I wonder whether we've processed of what we're doing.
I wonder whether we've processed the implications
I wonder whether we've processed if the therapy doesn't work.
Hey, George.
Hey.
I just got news.
What? Your scans are fantastic!
Yes! Yeah!
That's great news. I know! So, um...
That's great news. No recurrence, which is good.
Ah, fantastic. No recurrence, which is good.
Ah, fantastic. No recurrence.
Ah, fantastic. It's early days, still.
Um... Six months! Not that early.
Um... Yeah, yeah. No, no. It's good.
So what we want, though, is this...
..in another few months.
The 2024 Australian of the Year, I'm proud to announce,
The 2024 Australian of the Year, is Professor Georgina Long...
(APPLAUSE) is Professor Georgina Long...
(APPLAUSE) ..and Professor Richard Scolyer.
(APPLAUSE) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE)
From where I stand,
with the future now measured in months rather than decades,
it's impossible for me to properly articulate
how proud and hopeful that this also makes me.
We never imagined our life's work would lead us here.
Thank you, Australia, for bestowing us with this wonderful honour.
Thank you, Australia, for bestowing (CHEERING, APPLAUSE)
It's not every day you get to speak to our Australians of the Year.
Prevention is better than cure.
Slip, slop, slap.
(HORN HONKS)
HELEN: Physically, he seems to be (HORN HONKS)
HELEN: Physically, he seems to be doing really well.
But there's no doubt that there are toxicities to worry about.
BRINDHA: These drugs can turn on the immune system
BRINDHA: These drugs can turn on that then attacks your own body,
and the toxicity itself can be that then attacks your own body,
and the toxicity itself can be life threatening.
I do worry that he pushes himself a little bit too much,
and we've had many chats about this, a little bit too much,
and we've had many chats about this,
about slowing down,
about taking a bit of time to absorb this...
..and also resting your body somewhat
just because Richard is so active.
It's a little bit of rest might actually help him.
To be honest, the last three weeks probably been
the toughest period that I've had so far in my brain cancer journey.
I've had, um, partial seizures quite commonly, actually,
I've had, um, partial seizures sometimes 10 times or more a day.
Um, I've had three episodes where I've totally passed out to it.
Now I'm on anti-seizure medication to bring things under control,
Now I'm on anti-seizure medication and I'm very thankful.
I've had no seizures since then.
I rode, I don't know, 450 K's in the Tour de Cure last weekend,
and I can run and do the things I love doing
and spending time with my wonderful family
and enjoying life as...as best I can, given the circumstances.
MAN: Professor Richard Scolyer has shared remarkable news
in his fight against brain cancer,
revealing no recurrence of the disease in ten months.
To be able to get this far through - now we're up to ten months -
To be able to get this far through - with out any recurrence of my tumour,
I'm blown away.
This is not what I expected.
So this is great news.
In this area medially, which we were worried about,
looks a little better, which is nice.
To have the scan on the 18th of March
show that there's no recurrence is remarkable.
show that there's no recurrence It's... It's fantastic.
It's great for Richard, um, and gives us all a lot of hope.
It's pretty good, isn't it? Fantastic.
So fingers crossed it stays like this for a little while longer.
But in cancer, it's very rare to use the word 'cure'.
You have to test your hypothesis in a larger number of people.
And with Richard's case particularly,
we have to wait much more time to say
whether this treatment worked in and of itself.
From my side of the spectrum, if the next scan is clear,
I'll be celebrating on all... on all stops.
You know, that will be incredible.
To get to 12 months without a recurrence,
um, yeah, that'll be a major milestone for me personally.
I think like any cancer patient with a terminal condition,
I think like any cancer patient there are ups and downs.
This switch in roles has been a huge change for us.
Me now as medical oncologist
and as the person running and leading his immunotherapy,
and for him now as the patient, this is very difficult.
But every month that we get with a clear scan,
we're...we're incredibly pleased and happy for Richard.
Cheers. Great job, team.
JOHN: The field owes him a great debt of gratitude.
JOHN: The field owes him What Richard's doing has
advanced the treatment of What Richard's doing has
advanced the treatment of glioblastoma generally
advanced the treatment of in just a few months
by what would otherwise have taken 10 years, maybe more.
Yeah.
I'm accepting of this unfortunate nasty tumour that I've got
that is almost certainly going to come back at some stage.
that is almost certainly We haven't been together like this...
But I am very proud that it's...
..going to make a difference for future brain cancer patients.
Yeah.
And, yeah, what a legacy to...to be able to leave,
And, yeah, what a legacy even if it doesn't...doesn't cure me.
I might go to it too, then.
There's only two tickets, buddy. You've been ousted.
No, no, three.
BRINDHA: Legacy is also about family,
and I guess the example of the drive and the determination
and the, uh...the need to change things for the better
and the, uh...the need to for...for the...the wider world.
That's a legacy.
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