Dr. Stacy Norton, a Houston doctor, is among an estimated 1 million Americans who have Lynch syndrome, a faulty gene that puts them at extremely high risk of colorectal cancer. Norton is participating in a clinical trial for a vaccine that aims to teach the immune system to intercept colon cancer before it turns into a full-fledged tumor.

Lynch Syndrome and Colon Cancer

Lynch syndrome is caused by an inherited genetic mutation that makes it harder for the body to stop a buildup of abnormalities that can lead to tumors. The average person has a 5% risk of developing colon cancer, but a Lynch carrier’s risk can reach as high as 80%.

Norton’s family has a history of colon cancer, and she has already survived a different Lynch-caused cancer. She has two children in their 20s who inherited her mutation, and she hopes that the vaccine will protect them from colon cancer.

Vaccine Development

At least three potential Lynch syndrome vaccines are in development, including two in early clinical trials in the US and a third beginning in the UK. The vaccine that Norton is testing appears promising, and its lead researcher, Dr. Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, expects a larger study to begin early next year.

Another vaccine, made by Massachusetts-based Moderna, is also being tested in the UK. This vaccine uses the mRNA technology behind Moderna’s COVID-19 shot to attack Lynch-spurred precancers.

A third vaccine, made by California-based ImmunityBio, is being compared to a placebo in a slightly larger study.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.