A MUM from Gee Cross is raising awareness of clinical trials after being saved by a new drug being tested out.
Zara McCormick has been free of bowel cancer for 18 months, since taking part in a pioneering clinical trial at The Christie in Manchester.
The 36-year-old project manager was diagnosed with stage 3c bowel cancer in 2023 – in the same week as her son Lewis’s first birthday.
Zara put her anaemia, fatigue and breathlessness down to the after-effects of pregnancy but, when her symptoms continued, she went to her local hospital to have some tests.
They confirmed the cancer and genetic analysis showed a microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) mutation. As this type of cancer is very responsive to immunotherapy, she was referred to The Christie to find out more about the NEOPRISM trial.
This tests the use of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab in patients with a specific form of bowel cancer known as MSI-H. The interim results show that almost 60 per cent of patients had no detectable cancer following pembrolizumab alone, with the remainder becoming cancer free after subsequent surgery.
“I didn’t have any of the typical symptoms like blood in my poo, so the diagnosis came as a massive shock,” admitted Zara.
“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 my appointment, I’d decided to go for it.”
Zara started her three cycles of pembrolizumab in June 2023 and she then had a scan, which showed that the tumours in her bowel and lymph nodes had significantly shrunk.
She had surgery to remove part of her bowel at The Christie in September and the subsequent biopsy result showed there were no active cancer cells – only scar tissue.
Zara remains cancer free and now has six-monthly scans and yearly colonoscopies at The Christie. She’s sharing her story because she wants 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,” Zara said. “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.
“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.”