Anti-depressant offers brain tumour hope

The trust is named after Samantha Dickson, who died aged 16

Hope of a longer life is being offered to brain tumour sufferers by research carried out by a Hampshire-based charity.

The Samantha Dickson Research Trust says it has anecdotal evidence which shows that a regularly prescribed anti-depressant can slow down tumour growth.

One hundred patients are now due to undergo clinical trials of the drug, clomipramine, at three teaching hospitals in London.

The Dogmersfield-based trust was set up by the parents of local girl Samantha Dickson, who died from her brain tumour in 1996, just six days before her 17th birthday.

Mrs Dickson is optimistic about the trials of the drug

Her mother, Angela, is optimistic about the drug and the results of the trials.

She told the BBC: "For the first time in many years I feel we've got something that when people are told there is nothing else they can have, there's nothing they can do, just go home and wait for your life to end, for once I can say 'well, no, hang on a minute, that's not true we have had some evidence that this is working'."

There is no suggestion that the drug can cure brain tumours but researchers say it may well lengthen life expectancy.

Professor Geoff Pilkington, of the University of Portsmouth, explained: "We are looking in the short-term for reduction in tumour mass in these patients.

"We are also hoping that their survival time will be increased in the very malignant tumours and we are hoping that those patients will enjoy a very good quality of life during that increased survival time."