A man with the deadliest form of brain cancer has no signs of the disease after taking an experimental drug.

Ben Trotman was 40 when he was diagnosed in 2022 with glioblastoma, the most aggressive cancerous brain tumor. Patients typically live an average of 15 months after diagnosis, and the five-year survival rate is just 6.9%.

Trotman was referred to The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), where he was treated by consultant UCLH medical oncologist Dr. Paul Mulholland, as detailed in a press release.

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As the only person enrolled in a trial that ultimately closed due to lack of patients, Trotman received a medication called ipilimumab, a targeted immunotherapy treatment.

Ipilimumab is an antibody that binds to a protein on immune cells (T cells), keeping cancer cells from suppressing the immune system so it can then attack and kill the cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Trotman also received radiation and chemotherapy. More than two years later, his quarterly scans show no signs of cancer.

“It is very unusual to have a clear scan with glioblastoma, especially when he didn’t have the follow-up surgery that had been planned to remove all of the tumor that was initially visible on scans,” his oncologist, Mulholland, said in the release. 

“We felt we had a lucky break in an otherwise devastating situation.”

“We hope that the immunotherapy and follow-up treatment Ben has had will hold his tumor at bay — and it has so far, which we are delighted to see.”

Two months after receiving the ipilimumab, Trotman married his wife, Emily. In April 2025, they welcomed their daughter, Mabel.

Two months after receiving the ipilimumab, Trotman married his wife, Emily. In April 2025, they welcomed their daughter, Mabel. (Ben and Emily Trotman via University College London)

“Getting this diagnosis was the most traumatic experience — we were grappling with the fact that Ben had gone from being apparently perfectly healthy to having months to live,” Emily Trotman said in the release. 

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“Had we not met Dr. Mulholland, that would have been it for us. We felt we had a lucky break in an otherwise devastating situation.”

Ben Trotman added, “We obviously don’t know what the future holds, but having had the immunotherapy treatment and getting these encouraging scan results has given [us] a bit of hope.”

Dr Paul Mulholland (left) is pictured with Dame Siobhain McDonagh (right), who raised funds to support a new trial for the experimental glioblastoma medication. (Marie Mangan via University College London)

“We are focused on rebuilding the life we thought we had lost and enjoying being parents.”

Mulholland and his team have now opened another clinical trial for patients who have been newly diagnosed with glioblastoma.

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Sixteen patients will be recruited for the trial, which is sponsored by UCL. The treatment will be administered at the NIHR UCLH’s Clinical Research Facility and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, according to the press release.

The patients will receive ipilimumab before proceeding to standard treatments that may include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Glioblastoma patients typically live an average of 15 months after diagnosis, and the five-year survival rate is just 6.9%. (iStock)

“The crucial element of this trial is that patients will have their immune system boosted by the drug before they have any other treatment, when they are fit and well enough to tolerate the immunotherapy,” Mulholland said in the release.

The Win-Glio trial — nicknamed “Margaret’s Trial” — is funded by the efforts of Dame Siobhain McDonagh, sister of Margaret McDonagh, a London woman who died of glioblastoma in 2023 and was treated by Mulholland.

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Ben said he is “delighted” that the new trial is moving forward with the same immunotherapy drug he received. 

“It will give people newly diagnosed with glioblastoma some hope.”

As a new report claims that premature organ transplants have endangered donors, HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced plans for a new initiative to reform the system.

Several families have stated that surgeons attempted to initiate organ retrievals while patients were still alive or improving, as noted in a July 20 report from The New York Times.

Amid a growing push for increased transplants, “a growing number of patients have endured premature or bungled attempts to retrieve their organs,” according to the report, which painted a picture of “rushed decision-making” and organ demand taking priority over donor safety.

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In a recent investigation by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), there were more than 70 canceled organ removals in Kentucky alone “that should have been stopped sooner” because the patients showed signs of revival, the report stated.

The problem appears to be linked to an increase in “donation after circulatory death,” which is when the patient has not been declared “brain dead” but is critically ill or injured.

In that case, life support is withdrawn and organs are harvested within a couple of hours after the heart stops naturally.

The Times report indicated that 55 medical workers in 19 states reported witnessing “at least one disturbing case of donation after circulatory death” — some even claiming that providers had administered drugs to “hasten the death” of donors.

Call for reform

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a statement on Monday announcing an initiative to reform the organ transplant system.

The push follows the HRSA’s investigation, which reportedly revealed “disturbing practices by a major organ procurement organization.”

“The entire system must be fixed to ensure that every potential donor’s life is treated with the sanctity it deserves.”

Secretary Kennedy said the investigation revealed that hospitals allowed the organ procurement process to begin “when patients showed signs of life.”

“This is horrifying,” Kennedy said in a statement. “The organ procurement organizations that coordinate access to transplants will be held accountable. The entire system must be fixed to ensure that every potential donor’s life is treated with the sanctity it deserves.”

Several families said surgeons attempted to initiate organ retrievals while patients were still alive or improving, as noted in a July 20 published piece. (iStock)

Under this investigation, HRSA reviewed organ procurement organizations’ “conduct and treatment of vulnerable patients.”

“HRSA’s independent investigation revealed clear negligence after the previous [Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network] OPTN board of directors claimed to find no major concerns in their internal review,” the HHS noted.

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HRSA examined 351 cases where organ donation was authorized but not ultimately completed, the agency indicated.

Of these, 103 cases, or over 29%, showed “concerning features,” including 73 patients who had neurological signs “incompatible” with organ donation.

HRSA examined 351 cases where organ donation was authorized but not ultimately completed, the agency said.  (iStock)

The investigation also discovered that at least 28 patients may not have been deceased at the time of organ procurement.

The HHS said this raises “serious ethical and legal questions.”

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“Evidence pointed to poor neurologic assessments, lack of coordination with medical teams, questionable consent practices and misclassification of causes of death, particularly in overdose cases,” the agency said.

As part of the reform, organ procurement organizations will be required to follow “strict corrective actions” and make “system-level changes” to safeguard potential donors. 

CEO cites ‘fragmented oversight’

Dr. Maureen McBride, CEO of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), responded to The New York Times report in an online statement, calling the patient situations “horrific.”

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“This falls far below the standard that the American organ donation and transplant system — the global gold standard — demands, and it cannot be tolerated,” she said. 

“This sharply underscores the need for a more unified and accountable structure for overseeing the nation’s organ donation and transplant system.”

There are currently more than 103,000 men, women and children on the national transplant waiting list.

There is currently “fragmented oversight” of the organ transplant system — shared by the HRSA and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) — which has led to “confusion and inconsistent accountability,” according to McBride.

To ensure a “safe, effective and trustworthy” system, she called for consolidated oversight and an improved patient-safety reporting system.

Each day, 13 people die while awaiting an organ transplant. (iStock)

The federal government “remains ultimately accountable for oversight of the system,” McBride noted.

“UNOS will continue to advocate for reforms to improve the system, and we look forward to sharing our proposed reforms with Congress this week and making meaningful progress in partnership with the federal government to strengthen the system,” she added.

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There are currently more than 103,000 men, women and children on the national transplant waiting list, HRSA said.

Each day, 13 people die while waiting for an organ transplant.

Preparing for a successful MRI screening involves more than just lying still.

Certain materials can interact with the strong magnetic field of an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine, so what you wear — or don’t wear — is essential.

A recent fatal incident in Westbury, New York, at Nassau Open MRI, involved a man being sucked into an MRI machine due to a heavy metal chain he wore around his neck.

MAN DIES AFTER BEING PULLED INTO MRI MACHINE BY METAL NECKLACE HE WAS WEARING

The man, 61, entered the room during his wife’s scan. He was drawn into the machine by his necklace, which “resulted in a medical episode,” according to a press release from the Nassau County Police Department.

The man was transported to a local hospital on July 16 and died the next day due to his injuries, the release stated.

Nassau Open MRI states on its website that anything metallic should be removed prior to entering the machine, including hearing aids, partial plates, dentures, jewelry and hair pins.

Multiple practices and agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), warn that the “strong, static magnetic field” of an MRI machine will attract magnetic objects.

TOXIC HEAVY METALS DETECTED IN POPULAR RICE BRANDS ACROSS AMERICA, STUDY SHOWS

Small items like keys and cellphones — as well as large, heavy items like oxygen tanks and floor buffers — may “cause damage to the scanner” or injure the patient or medical professionals if those objects “become projectiles,” the FDA cautioned.

Multiple practices and agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), warn that the “strong, static magnetic field” of an MRI machine will attract magnetic objects. (iStock)

Iowa Carver College of Medicine’s Magnetic Resonance Research Facility published MRI safety guidelines, noting that the magnet is always on, and only cleared patients and professionals are permitted to enter.

What not to bring into an MRI

The following list of items should not be brought into an MRI screening, according to multiple experts and medical facilities.

Wearables

• Clothing with metallic threads or fibers
• Zippers, buttons, snaps or other metal fasteners
• Jewelry
• Piercings
• Watches
• Hair pins and clips
• Tattoos with metal-based ink

Items that contain metal like jewelry, medical devices like hearing aids, buttons and zippers on clothing, and even metal-based ink tattoos should be avoided if getting an MRI. (iStock)

Medical devices

• Hearing aids
• Partial plates
• Dentures
• Oxygen tanks

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Implanted devices 

• Pacemakers
• Aneurysm clips
• Cochlear implants
• Neurostimulators
• Metal coils and stents

Implanted medical devices such as pacemakers, ports, pumps, stents, metal pins, screws and even shrapnel can interfere with an MRI. (iStock)

Personal items

• Keys
• Cellphones
• Coins
• Makeup with metallic particles
• Fingernail clippers
• Pocket knives
• Pens
• Paperclips
• Scissors
• Credit and debit cards

What to wear for an MRI

Florida-based Precision MRI Group warned on its website that patients should avoid clothing and wearables that include metal, as this interaction can cause “burns, malfunctions in the machine or compromised image quality.”

Loose-fitting cotton or linen clothing, pajamas and nightgowns are all permissible attire for an MRI, according to the above source.

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Items like compression wear, tight-fitting spandex and clothing with metal embellishments should be avoided.

“Some modern clothing brands incorporate metal fibers in their fabrics for anti-odor or antibacterial purposes,” the group wrote. “While these innovations are helpful in daily life, they are dangerous in an MRI setting.”

Small metal items that can fit in pockets can turn into dangerous projectiles in an MRI room. (iStock)

MRIs with medical devices 

ARA Diagnostic Imaging, a radiology practice with multiple locations in Texas, noted on its website that any implants or devices should be discussed with a doctor prior to an MRI.

These include the medical devices and implants mentioned above, as well as others like artificial heart valves, ports, pumps, artificial limbs, metallic joint prostheses, metal pins, screws, plates, surgical staples, some IUDs and even shrapnel anywhere in the body.

“Metallic objects in the body can have dangerous effects when placed in a magnetic field.”

Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency medicine attending physician in Charleston, South Carolina, reiterated in an interview with Fox News Digital the strength of MRI magnets, noting how hospital gowns, monitoring devices and even stretchers are free of metal around MRI machines.

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“People should remember to mention any implantable device to the MRI tech,” he said. “Patients who have pacemakers should bring their pacemaker card with them, as it will have information about safety protocols to have an MRI.”

Perry added, “Nerve stimulators are also sometimes MRI-compatible and should have information cards that can be presented to the MRI tech.”

“Modern clothing brands incorporate metal fibers in their fabrics for anti-odor or antibacterial purposes,” one MRI center cautioned. (iStock)

It’s “very important to answer appropriately” when asked by an MRI tech if you’re wearing jewelry or have piercings, the doctor advised.

Patients should also leave their wallets out of the room, Perry noted, as many of them are magnetic.

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“It can also be detrimental to your cards, as the magnet is strong enough to wipe the magnetic strip on the back of debit and credit cards,” he cautioned.

Fox News Digital reached out to Nassau Open MRI requesting comment.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed to this report. 

Man’s best friend could provide more than just companionship.

In a new study from the University of Bristol, dogs were found to detect Parkinson’s disease well before symptoms appear.

Previous research has shown that people with Parkinson’s have increased amounts of sebum — an oily, waxy substance with a distinctively musky odor — on the skin.

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In the new study, two dogs that had been trained on more than 200 odor samples were presented with skin swabs from 130 people with Parkinson’s and 175 people without the disease, according to a press release.

The dogs — a golden retriever named Bumper and a black labrador named Peanut — were rewarded for positively identifying Parkinson’s samples and for ignoring negative ones.

The dogs showed sensitivity of up to 80% — which means they identified people who had the disease 80% of the time.

They achieved specificity of up to 98%, which is how good they were at ruling out people who did not have Parkinson’s.

“The dogs … showed there is an olfactory signature distinct to patients with the disease.”

The University of Bristol collaborated with Medical Detection Dogs and the University of Manchester on the study, which was published in The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease on July 15.

While there is no early screening available for Parkinson’s, some early warning signs can appear years or even decades before diagnosis, according to experts.

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“Identifying diagnostic biomarkers of PD, particularly those that may predict development or help diagnose disease earlier, is the subject of much ongoing research,” said lead study author Nicola Rooney, associate professor at Bristol Veterinary School at the University of Bristol, in the release.

Previous research has shown that people with Parkinson’s have increased amounts of sebum — an oily, waxy substance with a distinctively musky odor — on the skin. (iStock)

“The dogs in this study achieved high sensitivity and specificity and showed there is an olfactory signature distinct to patients with the disease,” she went on. 

“Sensitivity levels of 70% and 80% are well above chance, and I believe that dogs could help us to develop a quick, non-invasive and cost-effective method to identify patients with Parkinson’s disease.”

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Claire Guest, chief scientific officer at Medical Detection Dogs in the U.K., reiterated that the study confirmed dogs can “very accurately” detect disease.

“Timely diagnosis is key, as subsequent treatment could slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the intensity of symptoms,” she said in the release.

The dogs (not pictured) were rewarded for positively identifying Parkinson’s samples and for ignoring negative ones. (iStock)

Perdita Barran, professor of mass spectrometry at The University of Manchester, said the study “adds to the growing body of evidence showing that simple, non-invasive skin swabs can be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, offering a faster and more accessible method for early detection.”

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Looking ahead, the team plans to conduct longer-term studies to assess dogs’ capacity to detect Parkinson’s before diagnosis.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation and Parkinson’s UK provided funding for this study.