Netflix star & dad, 47, forced to have his skull REBUILT after brain cancer shock – leaving him with years of recovery
A NETFLIX star was forced to have his skull rebuilt and faces years of recovery after a shock brain cancer discovery.
Craig Russell, 47, who played Marc Antony in the Netflix drama Queen Cleopatra, was diagnosed with the deadly cancer in 2023.
His specific condition was a low-grade meningioma, a tumour that grows from the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
The Netflix star is currently in recovery after having the tumour removed and his skull rebuilt.
Craig from Falmouth, Cornwall received his diagnosis after he reported suffering from migraine attacks and brain fog for months on end.
He then underwent a seven-hour operation to remove a tumour from his head and is still recovering from his operation 18 months later.
Craig, a father of two, has now welcomed news from the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth that in the future such invasive surgery might not be necessary.
He said it means that sufferers and their families “won’t have to go through what we did.”
The actor added that he was “incredibly positive” about the research which could lead to a “safer and speedier” recovery process.
Craig said: “This development is huge. The surgery to remove my meningioma lasted nearly seven hours and even though the meningioma is a low grade tumour, there were risks attached to the removal of mine as it had been growing there for 15 years.
“This new treatment would eliminate these risks, including the pressure put on my loved ones and medical staff.”
He added how even though the tumour is now a thing of the past, he’s still recovering from the surgery 18 months on.
Experts at the Brain Tumour Research Centre found targeting proteins on the surface of tumours could offer new treatments for meningiomas, as well as another type of nervous system tumour known as schwannoma.
The protein, known as Mertk, is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and promotes tumour growth.
Using meningioma and schwannoma tumour samples, scientists tested a drug treatment which stopped tumour cells growing in a lab.
It also decreased the number of immune cells, known as macrophages, to support the tumours.
Researchers are now working on how to progress their findings, published in the journal Oncogene, to clinical trials.
Dr Sylwia Ammoun, who led the research with centre director Professor Oliver Hanemann, said there are many drugs being developed to target Mertk.
This includes some, she added, going through clinical trials for other cancer types where dosage and side effects in patients are already known.
What is a meningioma?
A meningioma is a primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour. This means it begins in the brain or spinal cord.
Overall, meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumour. However, higher grade meningiomas are very rare, according to the US National Cancer Institute.
Meningiomas grow from the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges.
Most meningiomas grow very slowly. They can grow over many years without causing symptoms. But sometimes, their effects on nearby brain tissue, nerves or vessels may cause serious disability.
Meningiomas occur more often in women. They’re often found at older ages. But they can happen at any age.
Because most meningiomas grow slowly, often without symptoms, they do not always need treatment right away. Instead, they may be watched over time.
This means that researchers could take these particular drugs into early phase clinical trial for patients with schwannomas and meningiomas.
She said: “This research offers hope to patients with meningioma and schwannoma tumours that a new treatment may be on the horizon.”
Dr Karen Noble, director of research, policy and innovation at Brain Tumour Research, of which Craig is an ambassador, added: “We are delighted to have funded this research which offers new hope to patients.
“New kinder and less invasive treatments are needed to fight this devastating disease, and this work by the team at Plymouth is likely to be achieved by drugs already tested in people, which means it could benefit patients much sooner.”
The most common symptoms of a brain tumour
More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year — of which around half are cancerous — with 5,300 losing their lives.
The disease is the most deadly cancer in children and adults aged under 40, according to the Brain Tumour Charity.
Brain tumours reduce life expectancies by an average of 27 years, with just 12 per cent of adults surviving five years after diagnosis.
There are two main types, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and being less likely to return after treatment.
Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return.
Brain tumours can cause headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting and memory problems, according to the NHS.
They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision.
The nine most common symptoms are:
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Feeling sick
- Being sick
- Memory problems
- Change in personality
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Vision problems
- Speech problems
If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP.
Source: NHS