Berkshire Live, Reading (2026)

13/09/2026

Like many busy mums, TV presenter Charlene White has a longstanding gym membership that she’s hardly used.

But after a year of “horribleness” the Loose Women star has started regular short bursts of exercise, regularly getting up at 6am to fit in a quick gym session before taking her kids to school, and she’s rejoicing in finally finding some time for herself.

“This isn’t about losing weight or anything like that,” she stresses, “It’s about being healthy, and one thing I’ve found over the past few months of doing this is – and I know it’s going to sound really cliched – it’s been really good for my mental health.

“Just getting up and doing something that’s just for me – it’s not about going to work and earning money to be able to pay bills. It’s not about doing something for the kids, it’s doing something for me.”

Mum-of-two White, 46, has thrown herself wholeheartedly into the new Sport England This Girl Can ‘Move for 10’ Challenge, which is encouraging women to move for just 10 minutes, 10 times a month and hopes to tackle the gender activity gap, as This Girl Can data suggests there are fewer active women than men.

White, who’s also presented the ITV news, says: “There are fewer women doing regular exercise than men, and some of that can be women not being able to find moments in their day to exercise when they’re rushing about with work and the kids, running a household.

“It’s that busyness that tends to happen with women, especially when they’re parents – our lives are so much about doing stuff for other people that we tend to put ourselves bottom of the list.”

She admits that she was one such woman, but she’s reaping the benefits of putting herself first very occasionally, even if it’s only for 10 minutes a day, 10 times a month.

“It’s taken me a while to figure out how to fit it into my schedule, because I work lots of different shifts and lots of different jobs, and I’m not an evening person for exercise,” she says.
“So I get up at 6am, and I go to the gym at 6:30 and try and fit in some exercise, and then get back in time for the kids waking up, doing their breakfast, getting their packs, and then getting them off to school.

“As hard as it was in those first few weeks to get up in the morning and do it, I sleep better. I feel better. And weirdly, which I didn’t think would happen, I miss it when I don’t do it.

“And it’s not a losing weight thing for me – that’s a nice byproduct, but more than anything else, it makes me feel ready for the day. It makes me feel happier.”

And happiness has been scarce recently for White, who revealed on Instagram a year ago that her father, Denniston, had died by su***de.

Her post said: “Two weeks ago our lives changed forever. Unbeknownst to us, our dad had been living with a dark cloud he couldn’t lift. So he made the decision to take control of that cloud and take his own life.”

Now, she reflects: “It’s been a difficult 12 months, and I never thought I’d be the person to say this, but with all the horribleness of the last 12 months and dealing with the emotions and stuff, exercise has actually helped.

“Even just those 10 minutes of exercise has really helped – I can have a disturbed sleep and not be feeling great, and then I get up and I’m doing exercise at 6:30, and it gets to 7 o’clock and I’m like ‘Right, I have to go home’. And actually, I’d rather stay in the gym.

“I never, ever, ever thought I’d be the person that would say that, but it’s genuinely, for my mental health, helped massively.”

As well as quick gym sessions, White gets movement into her day in lots of different ways, including simple things like dancing in the kitchen, or cycling around the park with her children Alfie, aged nine, and Florence, seven.

“I try to incorporate the kids into exercise – we love getting on our bikes and going for a cycle around the park on a weekend,” she says. “So I’m trying to figure out ways I can do it on my own, but also do it with them because I want exercise to be a part of their everyday life as well.

“I think sometimes we overthink what exercise can be. Instead of driving to the local supermarket, walking the 15 minutes that it takes to get there, and then carrying your shopping bags back for the 15 minutes, that in itself is doing a bit of weights while doing exercise as well.

“There are lots of little ways that you can do it.”

And she says she’s “managed to drag a couple of my local friends” to the gym with her, saying the accountability that provides is valuable. “So if two of us stay in bed and only one of us goes to the gym, we’ve let our friend down, so we do make sure that we get up and do it together. I think as women, we like hanging out with other women, and that’s the wonderful thing about us.

“And with us, it doesn’t always require a trip to the gym – last week it was grabbing a coffee and going for a long walk after school drop-off before we had to go to work, and that’s socialising while doing a bit of exercise.”

And such small amounts of movement can really add up to a healthier life. Indeed, research suggests even small increases in activity deliver meaningful health benefits, particularly for people who currently do very little exercise.

As well as supporting long-term physical health, This Girl Can stresses that just 10 minutes of movement can boost mood, reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and increase energy levels. Plus, it can create habits that build towards a more active lifestyle.

White adds: “Every little helps. It can feel like a huge mountain to climb, but once you start, those mountains get a little bit smaller, and you start feeling a little bit better. I would highly recommend it.”

✍Lisa Salmon

13/09/2026

A giant vegetable grower who has produced “monster” carrots measuring 1.46m, 7.4kg beetroots and 65cm-long cucumbers has said his hobby is “like a sport”, finding it “thrilling and all-consuming”.

Aniket Sardana, 43, a veterinary surgeon who lives in Bristol, said his love of gardening began at age seven, when he became “fascinated” by watching a bean grow at school and later wanted to buy seed packets instead of sweets when shopping with his mother.

He grew vegetables from then on, and in 2020 he was introduced to a giant vegetable grower who inspired him to “get involved” with growing colossal crops.

Since then, his records includes a 1.46m carrot – around the height of a 12-year-old child – a 15.7kg marrow, a 1.38kg aubergine, a 65.8cm cucumber and a 7.4kg beetroot, about the weight of a six-month-old baby.

He regularly enters his jumbo crops into competitions where growers go head to head to produce the biggest, heaviest and longest vegetables – and has won prizes for his carrots on a national level.

He has even worked in Tristan da Cunha, the most remote inhabited island in the world, helping residents grow vegetables and hoping to revive the island’s giant vegetable show.

This year, the heatwaves in the UK have even allowed him to grow watermelons and he believes that, in the future, gardeners could grow more fruits and vegetables traditionally associated with hot, dry climates.

Aniket told PA Real Life: “There are community groups of giant veg growers who are all in touch with each other.

“So, if someone has a champion pumpkin or marrow, then they might sell the seed from that… it’s like a whole underground network.

“Or, if you grow a big onion, you might use the seed from that to grow another, bigger onion the next year.

“It’s like a sport – it’s thrilling and all consuming. I just love it.”

Aniket has been “fascinated” by gardening since he was seven, after watching a bean germinate at school.

He explained: “A teacher planted this bean in a pot and put it in the cupboard, and every day she’d get it out, and I was amazed at how quickly this thing was growing.

“I was completely taken by it.”

That same year, in 1990, he began stocking up on seeds to grow plants himself.

“I was in Woolworths and I remember seeing all the seed packets. All the other children were off buying sweets, and I just wanted seeds,” Aniket said.

“My mum came and found me with this big wedge of seed packs, and I went and bought more every year since.”

Over the years, he continued growing vegetables, with his other hobbies also centred “around science” – including beekeeping, fishkeeping and wildlife watching.

In 2020, while looking to move house, Aniket “got chatting” to an estate agent about his passion for gardening.

The estate agent then introduced him to supersized vegetable grower Kevin Fortey, who has won several Guinness World Records.

Kevin inspired Aniket to visit the Canna UK National Giant Vegetables Championships in Malvern, Worcestershire, that year, and seeing the entries made him want to “get involved”.

Aniket soon sourced some giant vegetable seeds with the aim of entering the following year’s competition, growing them in his garden, greenhouse and allotment.

But growing massive veggies requires careful planning and a different approach from growing ordinary crops.

He explained: “There’s an element of genetics – you need the right varieties that have the potential to get very big, or very long, or very heavy.

“You need to manage each plant differently, so if you’re going for the heaviest tomato, you’ll probably remove the other tomatoes on the plant to get one very heavy one.

“With normal growing, you’d have a steady crop through the summer, and you’d harvest many.

With giants, you often don’t harvest any during the season, you allow one to get huge, and then harvest it right at the end.”

He added that oversized vegetable varieties tend to be “more prone” to “health issues” because they are “not selected to be resistant” but instead are bred “purely for size”.

To get his marrows to a “good size”, Aniket props up an umbrella to shade them from the sun during hot weather.

For competitions, his cucumbers need to be as straight and long as possible, meaning he is constantly checking on them as they grow.

He initially focused on growing carrots, which reached 1.3 metres, alongside aubergines, cucumbers, beetroot and marrows.

He said: “It’s very enjoyable, and it’s amazing just to see how human influence on a particular plant can make it perform in a particular way.

“I think that’s quite striking and exciting to be a part of.”

So far, his records include a 1.46m carrot, a 15.7kg marrow, a 504g potato, a 7.4kg beetroot, a 3.2kg and 65.8cm cucumber and a 1.38kg aubergine.

His carrot have even won at the Canna UK National Giant Vegetables Championships.

“If you’re growing the heaviest potato or carrot you can’t see what’s going on beneath the surface, so they’re the ones that are really exciting,” he added.

This year, he also tried growing long chillies, which are currently more than 39cm long after being planted at the beginning of the year.

He also grew 7kg cantaloupe melons, but they were overripe by the time of the Malvern show and could not be entered.

So far, he is “proudest” of his giant watermelons, which he was able to grow “very easily” at his allotment thanks to the high temperatures.

“I think that’s what will come with rising temperatures – we’ll be growing more kinds of those things in the UK.”

After the shows, Aniket usually gives his hefty crops to a neighbour, who gives them to farm animals.

“I think I’d struggle to eat it all myself and a lot of the time they’re quite watery, because they’re grown for size rather than being the most enjoyable,” he explained.

He has also done horticultural work in Tristan da Cunha, the most remote inhabited island in the world.

“I help with teaching and boosting productivity, encouraging veg growing on the island,” he said.

“There’s been a few giant vegetables there and I’m trying to get a giant vegetable show back there.”

For anyone wanting to try growing huge vegetables themselves, he said: “Give it a go, you will go wrong at times but it doesn’t matter, just learn from your mistakes.”

Aniket has joined this year’s Pay Your Pension Some Attention campaign to urge the nation to grow their pension.

He said: “There is a very close analogy between growing giant vegetables and pensions because the effort’s going in all season, and the reward comes right at the end, and the reward can be huge.”

✍Molly Powell

13/09/2026

The Prince of Wales and England captain Harry Kane are urging the sporting world to make su***de prevention part of their “game plan” by adopting new guidance about how to spot, and then support, someone having a mental health crisis.

The footballer and other sporting stars, including F1 driver George Russell, appear in a video promoting the online guidance for grassroots players, professionals, fans and organisations being launched by William at a Premier League club.

In a speech, the prince is expected to say that sport can reach those “who may never walk through the door of a mental healthcare service”, and he hopes every sporting organisation asks: “What more can we do? Because the opportunity before us is enormous.”

William will be joined at Everton’s stadium in Liverpool on World Su***de Prevention Day by double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, ex-Lioness Jill Scott and former cyclist Dame Laura Kenny, Britain’s most successful female Olympian.

The future King has penned a foreword for the su***de prevention guidance, called On Your Side, and writes: “Through my work on mental health, I have met people whose lives have been changed forever by su***de.

“But I have also met people whose lives have been saved because someone stepped in to help. Each of their experiences has had a profound impact on me.”

In the launch at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Football Association, which William supports as patron, will commit to embedding new advice across the organisation, including its community and grassroots football network.

The Premier League and British Cycling will announce their commitment to prioritising su***de prevention and Team GB will use the resource with all athletes and staff.

William goes on to write: “Whatever your role – athlete, coach, parent, official or supporter – you may be the person who notices that someone is struggling.

“You could be the one who starts an honest conversation and who helps that person to find the support they need.

“This toolkit gives you clear, practical guidance to do exactly that. I hope that On Your Side encourages everyone in sport, in every discipline and at every level, to make su***de prevention part of your game plan.”

In the video, sporting stars, including ex-world champion boxer Carl Frampton and former women’s rugby World Cup winner Rocky Clark, ask questions about a person’s wellbeing while in sporting environments, with Kane saying “are you alright?” then adding “you don’t have to figure this out on your own”.

William is not seen in the film but delivers the voiceover: “You don’t need to be an expert to support someone who’s struggling. You just need to find the courage to have the conversation.”

Former England striker Alan Shearer said it was poignant the launch was being staged at Everton, a club “that meant so much” to his close friend Gary Speed, the ex-manager of Wales and former Everton midfielder who was found hanged in his home in 2011.

Shearer said: “We can’t always know when somebody is struggling but we can all be better at asking, listening and helping someone find the right support.”

He added: “You don’t have to have all the answers, but I hope everyone will support the toolkit.”

On Your Side offers advice on spotting warning signs, starting a conversation with someone suspected of having mental health issues, asking direct questions such as “are you thinking about su***de?” and advising them where they can find further support.

The new guidelines debunk the “myth” that talking about su***de promotes the idea, stating: “In fact, it opens up a conversation that can help someone feel heard, less alone and more willing to seek support.”

It has been produced by William’s Royal Foundation in partnership with the UK’s national standards body the British Standards Institution and national mental health charity Chasing the Stigma, which will provide the advice on its Hub of Hope, a mental health directory.

Jake Mills, founder and chief executive of Chasing the Stigma, said: “We know that sport brings people together, if we can reach people and give people a reason to talk about this topic, but then take something practical away, then that’s the legacy of what we’re trying to do here, is to take it into that everyday life.”

Hazel Detsiny, executive director at the Royal Foundation, said: “The scale of the challenge remains clear, su***de remains one of the most serious public health issues we face with over 7,000 deaths a year across the UK – it’s the biggest cause of death of men under 50.”

She added: “Sport has an unparalleled reach and influence with this group that few sectors can match. While sport cannot prevent su***de on its own there is real opportunity to create supportive environments needed to make conversations about su***de feel possible.”

✍Tony Jones

13/09/2026

A “happy and cheeky” baby boy has become the first in the world to be given a new type of treatment for a rare skull condition.

One-year-old Rory Potter was diagnosed with severe sagittal craniosynostosis – a condition where the skull fuses before birth which leads to the skull to be long from front to back but narrow from side to side – shortly after he was born.

Treatment usually involves skull reshaping surgery, which takes place within the first months of life.

Over the last two decades this has involved the use of stainless steel springs to gradually widen the gap, giving space for the brain to develop and for new bone to grow.

But now experts have developed new “super elastic” springs using a special metal called nitinol, a nickel and titanium alloy, with Rory the first patient to have them fitted.

Each spring is custom-designed to the patient and their “super elastic properties” allow them to adapt more naturally to a child’s growing skull, experts at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) said.

The springs were developed by experts at Gosh and University College London (UCL).

Using CT scans, the team create a detailed digital model of each child’s skull to predict how they will respond to surgery. They then design bespoke springs to deliver the right level of force.

Once inserted the springs will remain in place for several weeks to months, gradually reshaping the skull before being removed.

The new technology means children can avoid longer and more invasive operations and should see a reduction in blood transfusion rates, experts said.

Rory was born in April 2025.

His parents, Harry and Jo Potter, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, raised concerns about Rory’s head being longer than expected.

With sagittal craniosynostosis suspected, Rory was referred to Gosh where his diagnosis was confirmed.

Because his case was severe, medics thought he may benefit from the new nitinol springs instead of the traditional steel springs.

Rory had the 45-minute operation to fit the springs in September and only needed to stay in hospital for one night before returning to Derbyshire to his brother Oscar, three, and the family dog Ada.

Nine weeks later they were removed after his skull reached the desired outcome.

His mother Jo, a 36-year-old project manager, said: “Rory is so happy, cheeky and full of energy. You wouldn’t know what he’s been through, he’s just like every little boy and hitting milestones and he will have a great story to tell when he’s older.

“We cannot thank the team enough for the care, compassion and reassurance. Not to mention their dedication to medical science to support and help children thrive.

“Throughout the process, every element was explained so well. We knew what was going to happen and how, we received amazing support from each member of the team.

Professor Owase Jeelani, consultant neurosurgeon at Gosh who was part of the team who developed the new springs and led the surgery, said: “Traditional stainless-steel springs are very robust, but they don’t always allow us to finetune the force on the skull.

“These new nitinol springs give us much greater flexibility and, in some cases, can prevent the need for further surgery.

“This first surgery is important progress for children with craniosynostosis and so far, we have seen fantastic outcomes.”

Professor Silvia Schievano, who led the team of biomedical engineers at UCL, said: “This has been many years in the making, with thousands of hours of necessary research undertaken.

“It is a very proud moment to see this technology used in a child with such a positive result. It uplifts the importance of engineering research and clinical care coming together to develop new technologies for improved healthcare.”

Dr Alessandro Borghi, who helped develop the springs and is now at Durham University, added: “It is extremely rewarding to see our research efforts translate into a tangible improvement in the life of a baby.

“This achievement demonstrates the real-world impact that can be achieved through close collaboration between engineering and clinical research.

“We hope this success serves to highlight the importance of investing in and promoting medical technology, showcasing its potential to drive meaningful innovations that improve patient care and clinical outcomes.”

The research work behind the operation was funded by Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity and National Institute for Health and Care Research Gosh Biomedical Research Centre.

Aoife Regan, from the Gosh Charity, said: “We are so proud to have provided over £1 million of funding for this work via the Face Value project, which aims to improve treatment for children with complex forms of craniosynostosis.

“Gosh Charity is the largest charitable funder of medical research dedicated to paediatrics in the UK and, as part of our commitment to give seriously ill children the best chance, and best childhood possible, we are currently implementing our £70 million research strategy to transform the lives of children through research-led care.”

Professor Marian Knight, scientific director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: “By funding innovative research into treatments such as these ‘memory-metal’ springs, the NIHR enables researchers to help children like Rory receive safer, more precise, and highly personalised care.”

✍Ella Pickover

12/09/2026

Simon Le Bon praised the new Royal Mail stamp collection featuring Duran Duran as “a massive visual validation of the band and its history”, saying he feels “so happy and fortunate” to be part of the group’s legacy.

The award-winning group was founded in 1978 and are famed for hits such as Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf and Ordinary World – and have achieved two UK number one singles and one chart-topping album.

Royal Mail is releasing a set of stamps to celebrate Duran Duran’s almost five-decade career, which is focused around their album artwork as it charts their journey from the Birmingham club scene to international acclaim.

The collection also includes a miniature sheet centred around their tour posters from the 1980s until the 2020s, acting as a timeline of their years of live performances.

In an interview with the Press Association, Le Bon reflected on how the stamp collection is a “pinch yourself” moment as he discussed what it means to the band.

He said: “Having stamps is a bit far out. Nobody would have anticipated this at any time.

“For so many years, we were struggling against the negativity. We’re not a flash in the pan, and the stamps really vindicate us.

“It’s big stuff. It’s a massive visual validation of the band and its history.”

The 67-year-old continued: “When you see those album covers all lined up, all eight of them, you look at it say, ‘we’ve done a lot of work’.

“And we’ve done it together – we’ve stayed together – and it reminds us of that. I just feel so happy and fortunate to be part of all that.”

The singer joined the group in 1980 and is a core part of its current line-up, alongside keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor.

Rhodes said it is a “real honour” to be represented on British stamps and told PA: “We’re proud as a band that we’re even still around all these years later, but we keep finding little things like this that happen that make everything even more surprising and special.”

Fellow founder John described the collaboration as “a Duran Duran legacy project”, while Roger said it makes the band feel like it is “part of the cultural furniture” in the country.

“The band is almost set in stone now. Once you start getting things like this, there’s an immortality,” Roger added.

The new stamp collection includes eight album covers spanning records such as Duran Duran, Rio, Seven And The Raged Tiger, Notorious, Duran Duran (The Wedding Album), Astronaut Paper Gods and Future Past.

“I think it was great that we picked the album covers rather than beauty shots or shots of us, because the legacy is the music,” Le Bon said.

“I think the fans will be really proud.”

Rhodes described the stamps as “mini masterpieces”, and added: “From the moment I was born I was looking at Royal Mail stamps.

“I was excited when letters arrived at home through the letterbox.

“I still am – so to be a little part of that is magical, and just the greatest honour.”

The group have become the ninth music band to feature in a Royal Mail stamp issue, joining The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Spice Girls, The Who and AC/DC.

The release of their stamps coincide with the 45th anniversary of their debut album Duran Duran and its breakthrough single Planet Earth, which peaked at number 12 on the UK singles chart.

The stamps, and a range of collectable products, are available to pre-order from September 10 and go on general sale from September 17.

✍Carla Feric

12/09/2026

More than half of people who have had money stolen through fraud in the past two years feel the experience has negatively affected their mental health, according to Which?.

The consumer group commissioned a survey of more than 1,500 people across the UK who had lost money to scams in the past two years.

Unauthorised fraud was the most common type reported in the survey, with people having their bank account or card details harvested (44%), or losing
their physical card, mobile phone or other device to opportunistic thieves (16%).

Impersonation scams accounted for 35%, with victims having been groomed into authorising payments to fraudsters purporting to be trusted organisations or individuals. The remaining 5% was made up of other types of scams.

People reported their experience had a negative impact on their stress levels (63%) and mental health (54%) as well as their financial situation (47%).

One person told Which?: “It has made me feel stupid and ashamed.

“I haven’t fully told my family. I have tried to cover up the full financial loss.”

Another said: “I was so nervous and stressed. It had a big impact on my marriage as well.

“My husband thinks I don’t have enough knowledge to maintain my finances. I’m so depressed.”

A third person said their mental health “was affected very badly”, adding: “I feel like a failure.”

A Facebook user who fell victim to a scam on the platform felt the situation “was handled very poorly”, according to Which?

Which? argued tech giants should be doing more to combat scams on their platforms.

Rocio Co**ha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “Fraud takes a serious toll on victims’ stress levels and mental health as well as their finances, and many were left too ashamed to tell the people closest to them.

“Despite the financial harm and human misery they cause, we believe that the tech giants who profit from scams on their platforms will not take enough action against fraudsters unless they are legally compelled to do so.”

Deltapoll carried out the survey of fraud victims in June.

A spokesperson for Meta told Which?: “Scammers are determined criminals who use increasingly sophisticated tactics to defraud people and evade detection on our platforms and across the internet.

“We fight scams on and off our platforms because they’re not good for us or the people and businesses that rely on our services.”

A spokesperson for Ofcom told the consumer group: “Combating online fraud is a priority for us, and we’re working at pace to implement new rules on paid-for fraudulent ads.”

The spokesperson said tech firms “don’t have to wait – they can start making improvements for their users now.

“Sites and apps that fail to meet their legal duties, once in force, can expect to face serious consequences.”

✍Vicky Shaw

12/09/2026

A pensioner given two years to live after being diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer is still alive eight years on after signing up for a trial investigating precision treatment for high-risk patients.

Ken Theobold, 76, said he is able to enjoy spending time in his motorhome and being with his grandchildren after being given drugs tailored to his disease in the new trial.

The study, led by experts at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, involved 107 people with newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma – previously known as ultra-high-risk myeloma.

Patients were given state-of-the-art diagnostics and tailored treatment using a range of drugs.

Long-term follow-up data has now shown that patients live significantly longer when their treatment is adapted to the molecular biology of their disease, the ICR said.

The ICR, along with experts from the University of Leeds, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and hospitals across the UK, treated patients with a stem cell transplant and a combination of five medicines already used in the NHS – daratumumab, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone.

But patients were given these drugs in a different way, with intense treatment at the start and continuing combination therapy for as long as the disease remained controlled, the ICR said. Mr Theobold, who was diagnosed with high-risk myeloma in 2018 after a routine blood test, was referred to The Royal Marsden and has been treated on the MUK Nine trial for the last eight years. He was given five drugs at the start of the trial and now remains on two.

“After my diagnosis, I was told that I might only have two years to live, which was incredibly difficult to hear,” he said. “Joining the trial was an absolute no-brainer. If there was a chance it could help me and help future patients, I wanted to be part of it.

“When I first joined the trial, I was taking five different drugs, which was quite intense, but I have since moved to the maintenance part of the trial which only involves two drugs. Today, I’m able to enjoy life with my wife, Brenda. We love travelling in our motorhome and spending time with our five grandchildren is what matters most.”

Long-term results from the trial have just been published in the journal Lancet Oncology. The authors of the paper said the personalised therapy “shows sustained, progression-free survival and overall survival improvement supporting implementation of molecular diagnostics and tailored treatment in patients with newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma”.

At around six years of follow-up, 70% of patients who took part in the Optimum trial were still alive, compared with around 40% on standard therapy. Some 54% of patients on the trial remained progression-free at six years, compared with 18% of patients who received usual care.

First author Martin Kaiser, professor of molecular haematology at the ICR and consultant haematologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “High-risk myeloma has traditionally been one of the toughest challenges we face, with patients often relapsing early despite the best available treatments. These long-term results show that when we adapt treatment to the biology of the disease, we can significantly extend survival for many patients who previously had very limited options.”

Researchers also examined whether the personalised approach benefited people with subgroups of the disease. They used a test called MMProfiler SKY92, which identified people as high-risk by their gene expression.

This gene expression profiling is not routinely available in the NHS, meaning patients who may be high-risk may not be identified as such, the ICR said. The study found that 62% of this subgroup of patients who were given the personalised risk-adapted treatment were still alive and progression-free at six years compared with 20% of patients who had received conventional treatment. The ICR said that the test is being evaluated by health regulators for potential use across the health service.

Prof Kaiser said: “This study also shows that some patients with aggressive disease are currently being missed because the necessary molecular tests are not routinely available. Identifying these patients earlier could allow us to tailor treatment from the start and change the course of their disease.”

ICR chief executive Professor Kristian Helin said: “These results are a powerful example of how understanding the biology of cancer can transform patient outcomes. By matching treatment to the molecular features of each person’s disease, we are beginning to outsmart cancers that were once extremely difficult to treat – and high-risk myeloma has long been one of the hardest to treat effectively.”

Dr Sophie Castell, chief executive at blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said: “Identifying which patients are more likely to benefit from a personalised approach to treatment has been shown to keep myeloma at bay longer and give people a better chance to live well with their disease.”

Around 5,900 people are diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a cancer of the plasma cells – each year in the UK. Around a quarter of these have aggressive disease which responds poorly to conventional treatment.

✍Steven Smith

Berkshire Live

13/09/2026

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