Category: Prevention

Nouscom Presents Positive Final Results from Completed Phase Ib/II Study of Neoantigen Immunotherapy NOUS-209 at AACR 2025, Demonstrating a Highly Potent and Durable Immune Response in Lynch Syndrome Carriers

  • Lynch Syndrome (LS) is a common hereditary condition that significantly increases the lifetime risk of cancer, especially colorectal and endometrial, to as high as 80%

  • NOUS-209 is an off-the-shelf immunotherapy designed to harness the power of the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells before tumours develop

  • Final results from a Phase Ib/II study of NOUS-209 monotherapy in LS carriers confirm its safety and immunogenicity, supporting advancement to a potentially registration-enabling study for cancer interception

The completed Phase Ib/II trial evaluated safety and immunogenicity in 45 LS carriers

  • T cells induced by NOUS-209 were shown to directly kill tumour cells ex vivo, confirming functional anti-cancer activity

NOUS-209 is a pioneering approach to cancer interception comprising two proprietary viral vectors that deliver 209 shared FSP neoantigens and train the immune system to recognise and attack cancerous and pre-cancerous cells before tumours can fully develop.

“Currently, individuals with Lynch Syndrome rely on frequent screenings, such as colonoscopies, to manage their markedly increased risk of developing cancer. These latest data are a step toward a completely new approach – leveraging the immune system for cancer interception,” said the study’s principal investigator, Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/29/3070727/0/en/Nouscom-Presents-Positive-Final-Results-from-Completed-Phase-Ib-II-Study-of-Neoantigen-Immunotherapy-NOUS-209-at-AACR-2025-Demonstrating-a-Highly-Potent-and-Durable-Immune-Response.html

Colorectal Cancer (Bowel Cancer) Risk Factors & Prevention

Certain inherited genetic syndromes: 

About 5–10% of people who develop colorectal cancer have inherited changes (mutations) in their genes (the functional units of our genetic material, also known as DNA) that can lead to them getting the disease. These are often associated with people having colorectal cancer at a younger age than average. The most common hereditary conditions leading to colorectal cancer are:

  • Lynch syndrome: This is the most common hereditary syndrome leading to colorectal cancer. It accounts for about 3–5% of all colorectal cancers. The lifetime risk of colorectal cancer in people with this condition is 20–70%.
Colorectal cancer: risk factors

Nous-209 off-the-shelf neoantigen immunotherapy induces robust neoantigen T cell response with the potential to intercept cancer in Lynch syndrome carriers 

Cancer interception represents a new approach, aimed at targeting precancerous lesions and therefore preventing cancer occurrence. Lynch syndrome is one of the most prevalent hereditary cancer syndromes, with an estimated prevalence of one in 300, and high-risk predisposition to several types of cancer, with up to 80% lifetime risk to develop CRC.

Loss of MMR proteins causes an accumulation of mutations in the microsatellite sequences, known as Microsatellite instability (MSI), that can lead to shared frameshift mutations .

Nous-209 is a neoantigen directed immunotherapy encoding 209 FSP shared across sporadic and hereditary MSI tumors and precancer lesions in clinical development for interception and treatment of MSI tumors (Leoni et al., 2020; NCT04041310).

Reported are the full set of safety and immunogenicity results of a Phase Ib/II study of Nous-209 monotherapy in LS carriers. (45 enrolled) Neoantigen specific immune responses post Nous-209 were observed in 100% of evaluable participants (37/37)

The complete safety and immunogenicity results from this Phase Ib/II trial support the further development of Nous-209 monotherapy, highlighting its potential to efficiently stimulate the immune system and intercept cancer in LS carriers.

https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article/85/8_Supplement_1/6427/758888/Abstract-6427-Nous-209-off-the-shelf-neoantigen

Lynch Syndrome

https://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information-and-support/cancer-information/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-and-genes/lynch-syndrome

Lynch syndrome increases the risk of a number of cancers. In general, the risk is highest for colorectal (bowel) cancer, but it depends on the gene affected. 

Some colorectal (bowel) cancers are hereditary. Up to 5 people out of every 100 diagnosed with bowel cancer have Lynch syndrome. Other cancers linked to Lynch syndrome include:

https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/lynch-syndrome/

  1. About
  2. Testing and diagnosis
  3. Your results
  4. Help and support
  5. Reducing your risk of cancer
  6. Children and family planning

Metachronous colorectal cancer risks after extended or segmental resection in MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6Lynch syndrome: multicentre study from the Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database

According to the European Hereditary Tumour Group’s latest position report, LS is now considered an umbrella term for four distinct types of LS: MLH1 syndrome, MSH2syndrome, MSH6 syndrome, and PMS2 syndrome. These syndromes vary with regard to the age of onset of the associated cancers, sex predominance, and cancer incidence rates.

PLSD: Analysis of 8500 path_MMR carriers undergoing colonoscopic surveillance .

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the risk of metachronous CRC, stratified by gene and the extent of the resection in previous surgery, contributing to the ongoing discussion on surgical strategies for LS patients.

https://academic.oup.com/bjs/article/112/4/znaf061/8113421?login=false&fbclid=IwY2xjawJwP6BleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHstJO1twd022mBrfrcrADPLF_LfJZU6EJp7fqx9eDmpDHwkEOS6dzNDs9AkU_aem_PKKQVZ4ubPhaO9VyxUkRzw

Bowel Prep for Colonoscopy: Quality Matters

Bowel Prep Is Critical

When we talk about quality in colonoscopy, we’re referring to adenoma detection and sessile serrated lesion detection, along with the associated documentation that we perform. 

Achieving that level of quality is not just about writing a prescription for the prep and instructing your patients to follow through with it. Rather, it means providing guidance around diet modification and medication management and explaining the importance of the prep and how it is integral to colonoscopy performance.

It’s a shared responsibility. You, as well as your staff, need to take the time to discuss it with your patients.

Ensuring a quality prep is central to achieving our overall goals in colonoscopy and also in colorectal cancer prevention. Quality is what the patient should expect when a prep is prescribed. Referring physicians and healthcare providers should expect their patients to receive a high-quality colonoscopy prep. It’s our obligation as gastroenterologists to fulfill these expectations. 

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/bowel-prep-colonoscopy-quality-matters-2025a10007al?form=login

Lynch syndrome for the gynaecologist (Nov 2020)

Key content
  • Lynch syndrome is an autosomal dominant condition closely associated with colorectal, endometrial and ovarian cancer.
  • Women with Lynch syndrome are at increased risk of both endometrial and ovarian cancer and should be offered personalised counselling regarding family planning, red flag symptoms and risk-reducing strategies.
  • Surveillance for gynaecological cancer in women with Lynch syndrome remains controversial; more robust data are needed to determine its effectiveness.
  • Universal testing for Lynch syndrome in endometrial cancer is being adopted by centres across Europe and is now recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; thus, gynaecologists must become familiar with testing strategies and their results.
  • Testing strategies involve risk stratification of cancers based on phenotypical features and definitive germline testing.

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tog.12706

HSE Health A-Z

https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJkYm5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkFLUBpOydNbjldMlqnKhFD4QPIqKDYAcq9evuEd5_8reM0IMb1AqnvBNIVo_aem_MZRw4PsbrQDiYxV5n49fCA#L

Check out new addition on “Lynch syndrome” thanks to NCCP.