DUNFERMLINE schoolboy who is battling cancer for the second time has joined a clinical trial pioneering new treatment. 

Aaron Murphy, aged 11, has relapsed neuroblastoma after the cancer came back five-and-a-half years into remission.

The treatment, using anti-GD2 T-Cells at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London, is supported by Cancer Research UK.

There is no standard treatment path for children who relapse with neuroblastoma, and their chances of long-term survival are less than 10 per cent. 

The trial is currently the only hope of recovery for Aaron following unsuccessful attempts to combat the disease through other treatment. 

Dad Douglas, 40, told the Press: “Without this trial, there is not really any other treatment for it in the UK. 

“That’s why a charity is helping us fundraise in case it doesn’t work and we need to go abroad. 

“As this is a trial we don’t really know any other cases, it has been used for leukaemia and in America with good results, so we remain positive.

“We are hopeful for every treatment Aaron goes through.”

Aaron, a Primary 7 pupil at McLean Primary School, travelled to London recently so researchers could harvest immune cells from his blood. 

They are now busy changing them so they can attack the cancer cells. 

It was while Aaron was riding his bike just before his fourth birthday that he first complained about sore legs and hips. His parents then noticed a swelling in his groin area.

After tests, Douglas and his wife Louise, 40, were given the news that Aaron had stage three neuroblastoma – just a few short days after finding out they were pregnant with Aaron’s sister, Emma. 

After chemotherapy, radiotherapy and an eight-hour operation to remove the tumour, Aaron recovered and was back at school.

“No parent wants to hear their child has cancer; we were absolutely devastated but we dealt with it and thankfully the treatment worked,” Douglas said. 

“We had five years of great times as a family. We celebrated with a holiday to mark the five years! 

“When it came back in 2017, it was devastating for us all again. 

“I noticed the lump and you try to tell yourself it could be nothing but deep down you know it’s not good. 

“There is no indefinite cure, it’s just a case of going through these trials. 

“We’ll be going back to London in a few weeks and the T-Cells will be put back in his system – this will take another few weeks. 

“Hopefully, that will work, but we don’t really know what our next steps are and that is the hard thing.

“The reality is that we have to think of other options.”

A fundraising page has been set up by Solving Kids Cancer in case treatment does not work and the Murphys need to seek options that are not provided by the NHS. 

Despite the challenges, Aaron has taken everything in his stride and his parents describe him as a “happy young man, full of energy and banter”. 

“He loves adventure and playing with his sister and friends and has a real head for technology,” Douglas said.

“He does worry sometimes but we explain what’s going on and he seems to take it all in his stride.”

To donate, visit www.solvingkidscancer.org.uk/Aaron