HOUSTON, Texas (KCBD) – Clinical trials are underway in Houston to test a vaccine that could protect people with Lynch syndrome from developing certain cancers in the future.
Lynch syndrome is a genetic disorder that puts those who carry it at high risk of developing cancer — including multiple cancers and different types of cancer. The National Institutes of Health indicates 1 in every 279 people in the United States carries the genetic mutation, though most are unaware they have it.
Experimental vaccine in Houston trials
An OB/GYN at Houston Methodist who has Lynch syndrome is among those in the study group testing the vaccine. Dr. Stacy Norton said she also has a strong family history of cancer, including in her mother and sister.
“At 47, I actually had a what I thought at the time was going to be a risk reductive hysterectomy in time to find out I already had stage 1 uterine cancer,” Norton said.
Norton has since received a second dose of the experimental vaccine. Researchers hope the vaccine will teach the immune system to attack abnormal clumps of cells before they turn into cancer.
Norton said her July 30, 2024, colonoscopy showed results she had not seen before.
“That’s the first time ever I’ve had a colonoscopy with no polyps, which was huge for me,” she said.
Randy Christian’s update
Former Lubbock City Councilman Randy Christian has Lynch syndrome and has spent years raising awareness about the disorder, including highlighting his family’s history of cancer.
Christian has survived multiple cancers due to Lynch syndrome. In February, he said he had decided to stop cancer treatment and transition to hospice care for pain control.
Six months after entering hospice, Christian said his pain remains controlled by medication. He shared photos this week and noted that a visit from his grandchildren to Lubbock last week was, in his words, perhaps the best medicine of all.
Awareness of Lynch syndrome is considered important because regular screenings are the best way to detect new cancers and treat them early.
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