She has won the 2018 Papanikolaou Prize, which is organized annually by the Greek Medical Society of the United Kingdom, for her research on metastatic prostate cancer. Cypriot doctor Myria Galasi, clinical researcher at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, chose prostate cancer because it is the most common among men and there is the wrong impression that patients do not die from it. International research, she says, is unpredictable and can become very aggressive, so the discovery of powerful therapies is a continuous field of oncology research.
-What does the Papanikolaou Award 2018 mean for you?
-It is very honourable to me, a major reward and recognition of my work, because I spent four years in the lab for this result, next to great scientists.
-You have been at the 4 finalists, how did it work while you were presenting your research?
-I have been presenting at various international conferences and that's why I was very comfortable. It is a great feeling to win the prize that has the name of a great Greek physician, Papanikolaou, from a historical company such as the UK Medical Society of the United Kingdom.
-Have you been chosen or did you apply for the prize yourself?
- The competition was open, whoever wanted could apply for his job, the contestants are not chosen. Twelve applications were made and finally selected four remarkable works for a presentation that was a candidate for the prize.
-The prize is accompanied with what?
-It is primarily a great honour, accompanied by a sum of money, and it has given me a boost to continue to achieve my goals. At the same time, I will have the opportunity to present my work at a university in China through the UKeMED collaboration platform.
-Your award-winning research, is about what?
- Through my research, we studied mechanisms of cancer cell resistance following targeted therapy in the metastatic stage of prostate cancer, as well as methods of detecting these mechanisms in clinical samples from studies for their future use as "liquid biopsies." Through my research, we have proven that it is possible to identify novel mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapy and to apply these findings to clinical samples for the benefit of our patients.
-What was so special in your research to give you the prize?
-The use of this specific targeted treatment for metastatic prostate cancer that is used in patients only through clinical trials. The detection and understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapy allows us to predict categories of patients in whom these treatments may prove to be ineffective.
-What is the next step?
During the investigation I had written a protocol for a clinical study that was approved by the Bioethics Commission in England. We have recently begun collecting clinical samples from patients in earlier stages of prostate cancer from UCL Hospital clinics. Through this research we aim to transfer the knowledge we have acquired to the metastatic stage of prostate cancer. The goal is to try to detect similar mechanisms of resistance to treatment in patients at a later stage.
-Where did you do the research?
-In the laboratory of Professor Tony Ng at University College London (UCL). By submitting my preliminary results to Cancer Research UK, my research was funded by this organization at £ 250,000. So I dedicated myself for four years to UCL research and since last September I went back to the clinic at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.
-Your clinical results may sometime enter the market, or is it too early to discuss this?
-It is early, but we have taken very important steps. We use very high technology and I believe that in the years to come we may be able to use these methods more systematically and beyond clinical studies. Of course, implementing this at national level through the health system is much more difficult because the grants come from the National Health System (NHS).
-Can Brexit affect medicine and research?
- I think so. Many of the European Union funds that support our research will most likely not be available at UK universities. That is why a significant part of research may be transferred to major university centers in Europe.
-Can be transported to Cyprus?
-I hope it will be transferred to Cyprus. I believe that we can attract a large percentage of research programs in Cyprus. But we need infrastructure, workshops, because research does not need just the money. Today, many universities operate in Cyprus, medical schools and, as far as I know, the University of Cyprus in cooperation with the Karaiskakeio Foundation and the Oncological Center of the Bank of Cyprus have begun to establish the establishment of an Institute for Research on Cancer. In some years it will be easier to transfer a survey to Cyprus.
-Why did you choose prostate cancer for your research?
-I chose prostate cancer because it is the most common cancer in men and one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in men. There is also the wrong impression that patients do not die from prostate cancer. But we know from the results of international research that prostate cancer is unpredictable and can become very aggressive. It is impossible to predict the timetables within which the disease stops responding to hormonal therapy and the discovery of powerful therapies is a continuous field of oncology research.
- Prostate cancer cannot be cured?
-When diagnosed at an early stage and in specific patient classes, we can talk about cure after surgery. In the metastatic stage, where cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the goal of the treatments is to prevent further spread and to extend the period of time that our patients remain without symptoms. But in the cases of metastatic prostate cancer, we have multiple effective treatments and patients have lived for years.
-Why is prostate cancer so common?
-The biggest risk factor for prostate cancer is age, which is why it is more common in ages 70 and above. With increasing age cells in our body can undergo multiple mutations. Also, some individual forms are due to heredity and to a gene.
-What is the prevention?
-The best prevention for all cancers is early diagnosis. Also, healthy eating, exercising and maintaining a low body mass index are additional positive factors. In particular, however, prostate cancer does not currently have a screening program for rapid diagnosis. The PSA (prostate specific antigen) test is a blood test that helps detect and diagnose prostate cancer, although the use of this test is a controversial issue in the medical community.
-Does smoking affect?
- There is no strong connection between smoking and prostate cancer. Smokers, however, have a higher risk of death from prostate cancer and worse after treatment. This applies to all types of cancer.
Different and intense relationship between oncologist and patient
-Do you come from a medical family?
- Yes, my two parents are doctors. It is a great standard for me. Generally they always believed in me and they did not want to influence my decisions. I just wanted to be a doctor.
-Have you been a good student?
-Yes very good. I attended an English school in Nicosia. I ended up studying medicine at University College London (UCL). After my graduation in 2009, I worked at various university hospitals in London and for a while in New York. Today I work at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.
- Why did you choose oncology?
-I had a great interest in the six months I did my oncology training. The manager and many of my colleagues urged me to choose this specialty.
-What took you to oncology?
-It is an interesting specialty, which includes a wide range of therapies. There is a strong element of research that is very important to me. Also, the relationship between oncologist and patient is very different and more intense than other specialties.
-A clinician how did he get involved in the research?
-In England we are generally being encouraged to engage in research. Many of the hospitals are university-based, which means clinical studies are being carried out there. But also through the personal interest I have created for prostate cancer research, I have met great scientists as well as my professor who inspired me to deal with the specific topic I was studying at my PhD.
-What is the biggest difficulty in researching?
-For me coming from the clinical area was that I did not get an immediate response through the results. In the day-to-day work of a doctor you are facing the results immediately and continuously. In the research the results get months to be interpreted as well as the understanding of the findings from the experiments.
-Will research or clinical medicine be won?
- The best thing would be to do both together. But I certainly care about the clinic much more. I hope to always be in an environment that can offer me both.
-Do you have contact with Cyprus?
- Yes, I have contact with oncologists and researchers. I recently had a presentation at the University of Cyprus. I speak very often with patients from Cyprus who want a second opinion.
-How do you see the level of medicine in Cyprus?
-I believe that the level of medicine in Cyprus is quite high. But what I have found is that there is no good communication between the public and private sectors. Introducing the GESY I hope to improve the services offered to patients.
-What is your target?
-In the near future, I will finish the training in my specialty and at the same time continue to engage in research. In general, my goal is to offer the best possible care to my patients.
-Is Cyprus in your plans?
-I would like to go back to Cyprus one day, to offer my knowledge and experience to my place. I miss Cyprus, after being so many years in London. I miss the sun and the sea.
Source: Φιλελεύθερος