Noah Hyslop, from North Ayrshire, is now cancer-free after taking part in a clinical trial at the Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle. The 18-year-old, who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in September 2023, said the team at the hospital were "life savers" and that without them he might not have reached his 18th birthday.
Diagnosis and treatment
Noah first attended hospital with leg pain in September 2023, thinking he might have a stress fracture. Instead, he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer affecting the bones and soft tissue. He underwent 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 33 rounds of radiotherapy, which put him into remission.
However, the cancer returned twice. By December 2025, tumours were also found in Noah's lungs. His family began looking for clinical trials that might save his life, and then his hospital consultant in Glasgow called to tell them about a trial ongoing in Newcastle.
The trial and its impact
Noah started on the trial in February this year. The experimental drug he received has helped to mean that he is now cancer-free. He said: "The team at Newcastle is fabulous and without them I may not have made my 18th birthday in July this year. They really are life savers. The trial is truly amazing."
His dad, Paul, added: "Finding out Noah had Ewing sarcoma was such a shock to our family. We assumed the leg pain was caused by a fracture or something harmless. Seeing Noah go through treatment was incredibly difficult and at one point we feared we wouldn't see him reach his 18th birthday."
Paul continued: "When we found out about the trial in Newcastle, we thought it was worth trying but didn't expect such positive results. The fact that there is currently no sign of cancer feels like a miracle. We cannot thank the Newcastle team enough for everything they have done for Noah and our family."
Experts' response
Dr Quentin Campbell-Hewson, a consultant paediatric oncologist at the Great North Children's Hospital and associate clinical lecturer at Newcastle University, is leading the trial locally, supported by the paediatric oncology research team. He said: "As well as this being a great result for Noah, we are excited that this may be a new treatment for this difficult cancer which is more effective and kinder to the patient. The trial is ongoing, but we are very encouraged with results to date."
Professor Sandra Strauss, chief investigator for the trial and professor of medical and teenage and young adult oncology at the University College London Cancer Institute, added: "Clinical trials that involve novel treatments are urgently needed to improve outcomes in rare cancers such as Ewing sarcoma, particularly when the cancer has returned or spread."
She said: "We are delighted to hear of the positive impact this treatment combination has had on Noah's disease. The trial is being conducted in many centres across the world in patients of all ages, with encouraging preliminary results, and we look forward to hearing more about its effectiveness and impact on patients in the longer term."
Ewing sarcoma is a type of bone cancer with symptoms including bone pain that doesn't go away, swelling or a lump, or problems with joint movement.
