Fox Chase is taking part in trials of a vaccine which could block Lynch Syndrome tumors, which cause several cancers.But the link is especially strong between Lynch Syndrome and some colon and endometrial cancers.It started with a seamstress.His work led to the identification of Lynch syndrome - inherited genetic mutations that dramatically increase colon and endometrial cancers under age 50.
But Dr. Michael Hall, an oncologist and geneticist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, says Lynch Syndrome is also tied to other tumors, such as ovarian, stomach, pancreatic -He says Lynch Syndrome is one of the most common hereditary cancer complexes, with about one in every 280 people carrying one of four mutations with varied risks."The estimates are that the risk of colon cancer over a lifetime may be up to close to 80%," says Dr. Hall.
BRCA has been linked to breast cancer in women and men, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma.And since most people don't get genetic testing, family medical history is important for recognizing it."Starting colonoscopy in the 20s or 30s. Upper endoscopy is done as well," he notes.It recognizes and targets proteins produced by the genetic mutations as they set the stage for cancer.
"So what the vaccine does it helps boost the immune system of Lynch Syndrome patients, before those events even happen," Dr. Hall says."They're going to be looking at how much were the immune cells of the Lynch Syndrome patients stimulated by the vaccine?" he says. This is a small, early trial. If it succeeds, the next phase will focus on how well it reduces the number of colon polyps or lesions.
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