At 68 years old, Normand Canty had never really been sick. Retired from his job as a mechanic, he led an active life and worked as a driver at cultural events. But in the fall of 2023, he had a pain between his shoulder blades that wouldn't go away, so he went for several tests. Normand learned that he had stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to his bones. He was shocked by the news. The spread of cancer even shattered one of his cervical vertebrae, requiring surgery. At that point, doctors gave him 6 to 12 months to live.
More than 3 years after his diagnosis, Normand is still alive. His scans no longer show any visible signs of cancer in his lungs or spine. He credits his health status largely to his participation in a clinical trial.
If I hadn’t agreed to participate in research, I wouldn’t have been the one telling you my story today; my wife would have been. As for me, I would be dead.
To learn more about clinical trial options and whether they may be right for you, visit Cancer Trials Canada for up-to-date, easy-understand information on studies available across Canada.
The microbiome: A new way of treating cancer
After spinal surgery at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), Normand met Dr Arielle Elkrief, an oncologist and clinician-scientist at the CHUM. She explained the possibility of participating in a clinical trial for fecal microbiota transplantation, an approach that involved transferring gut bacteria from a healthy donor to a patient.
Researchers are studying whether this approach can improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy, a treatment that helps the body’s immune system fight cancer. The clinical trial focused on people with melanoma and lung cancer.
Although the idea of the treatment might have been surprising, Normand didn’t hesitate. His survival could have depended on it.
The fecal transplant treatment combined with immunotherapy had a 60% to 65% chance of success. Between that and having 6 to 12 months to live, the choice was easy.
In practical terms, the treatment involved emptying his bowel, followed by taking 40 frozen pills made from healthy stool (poop). The pills had no smell or taste. Normand experienced no side effects from the transplant, apart from a cold feeling in his stomach.
A few days after the transplant in January 2024, Normand began immunotherapy and quickly noticed improvements. “Before starting immunotherapy, I walked with a cane. After the first treatment, I didn’t need a cane anymore,” he says.
After 9 months of treatment, the lung scan showed no signs of cancer, and neither did the scan of the spine.
Moving lung cancer research forward
Three years after his diagnosis, Normand enjoys a good quality of life. Although he gets tired more quickly than before, he feels he has gotten back about 90% of the energy he had before his diagnosis.
His experience profoundly changed how he views research and the possibilities it could offer people with cancer.
Dr Elkrief’s clinical trial saved my life.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in Canada. In 2026, it was estimated that 1 in 21 people would die from lung cancer, a finding that emphasizes the urgency of continuing research and developing new therapeutic approaches.
Having benefited from advances in research himself, Normand now wants to contribute to it. He encourages eligible people to consider participating in a clinical trial and makes an annual donation to the Canadian Cancer Society.
People should jump at the chance to participate in a clinical trial. Research can make all the difference, and I’m here to prove it.
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