Date of birth: 23/01/1927

Date of death: 13/05/2008

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BIOGRAPHY

Eve Wiltshaw, British medical oncologist, started the first European trial of cisplatin in cancer in 1971 at the Royal Marsden, London. At the first open international platinum meeting held at Wadham College, Oxford, in 1973 Wiltshaw reported encouraging results of her study involving 20 women with advanced ovarian cancer, including regression of tumours and disappearance of ascites. The success was achieved despite participants being seriously ill and already having undergone radiotherapy.

One of her innovations was to give patients IV fluids post-cisplatin to overcome vomiting. Subsequently, Wiltshaw collaborated with Hilary Calvert on the development of carboplatin, the cisplatin derivative with broad anti-tumour activity and less renal toxicity.

Wiltshaw qualified in medicine in 1952 from the University of Wales, and from 1953 to 1955 undertook haematology research in Boston, US. She is known for her long spell at the Royal Marsden, UK, where between 1986 and 1994 she was the first medical director, and where a ward has been named in her honour.

At the Royal Marsden, Wiltshaw is fondly remembered as a ‘great character’. She would come to work in a Rolls-Royce with her Great Dane dog, who would accompany her to meetings and get walked by her PA. In 1998 she wrote published A History of the Royal Marsden Hospital.