Gee Cross mum cancer-free after groundbreaking clinical trial

A Gee Cross mum is celebrating more than 18 months free from bowel cancer thanks to pioneering treatment at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester.

Thirty-six-year-old Zara McCormick, a project manager and mother to three-year-old Lewis, took part in the NEOPRISM clinical trial, which is testing the use of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab in patients with a specific form of bowel cancer known as microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H).

Interim trial results have shown striking outcomes. Almost 60% of participants had no detectable cancer following pembrolizumab alone, with the remainder becoming cancer-free after subsequent surgery. This approach differs from the current standard of care, which typically involves surgery followed by chemotherapy – a treatment pathway likely to be less effective for MSI-H cancers.

Zara was diagnosed with stage 3c bowel cancer in 2023, the same week as her son’s first birthday. Initially, she attributed her anaemia, fatigue and breathlessness to the after-effects of pregnancy, but when symptoms persisted, she sought further investigation at her local hospital. Tests confirmed the cancer, and genetic analysis showed the MSI-H mutation, making her eligible for the NEOPRISM trial at The Christie.

“I didn’t have any of the typical symptoms like blood in my poo, so the diagnosis came as a massive shock. At first, I was quite hesitant about going on a trial, but my team at The Christie really helped to put my mind at ease. They took the time to talk me through everything and answer all my questions. They explained that my type of cancer might not respond to chemotherapy – the standard treatment currently available – and gave me all the information I needed to make the right choice for me. By the end of the appointment, I’d decided to go for it,” says Zara.

She began three cycles of pembrolizumab in June 2023. A scan later revealed the tumours in her bowel and lymph nodes had shrunk dramatically, and in September she underwent surgery to remove part of her bowel. Biopsy results showed a complete response, no active cancer cells, only scar tissue.

Zara now attends The Christie for six-monthly scans and yearly colonoscopies, and remains cancer-free.

Of her experience, she says: “Although I tolerated the treatment well, it did leave me feeling fatigued, so I’m really focused on getting my fitness back so I can be as active as my little boy is. I’m back at work and looking forward to the little things, like celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary in a couple of years and seeing Lewis start school. I’m also involved in some bowel cancer support groups, helping others like me.

“I was so well looked after by my team at The Christie, I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me. Anup, my nurse, was particularly brilliant. He was the first person I spoke to at my first appointment and has been there for me every step of the way. Having someone like that there when you’re going through a difficult time makes all the difference.

“One of the reasons I wanted to share my story is to change the perception that clinical trials are a last resort. For me, this was the first treatment I had, and I’m so glad I said yes. I would encourage other people with cancer to be open-minded about taking part. New treatments wouldn’t be possible without trials, so you’re also helping make things better for other people in the future. There’s something very special about that.”

Professor Mark Saunders, Zara’s consultant oncologist at The Christie, comments: “It’s brilliant to see that Zara and all the other patients have responded so well to immunotherapy. More trials need to be done to validate the findings, but the results we’ve seen so far are really encouraging. Pembrolizumab is a very effective drug and has the potential to change the lives of a few thousand people diagnosed with this type of bowel cancer in the UK every year.”

The NEOPRISM trial, still recruiting patients, is led by University College London (UCL) in collaboration with The Christie, St James’s University Hospital in Leeds, University Hospital Southampton, and the University of Glasgow. Funded by pharmaceutical company Merck, Sharp and Dohme, the research is being conducted by the Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre.

With a target of 78 participants, the study will continue to assess survival rates and the likelihood of relapse over the coming years. Patients referred to The Christie are routinely offered the chance to discuss potential clinical trials as part of their treatment planning.

More information on taking part in clinical trials can be found at: https://www.christie.nhs.uk/research-and-innovation/studies-and-trials/take-part-in-studies-and-trials