the NEOPRISM-CRC clinical trial, led by University College London, demonstrate a paradigm shift in treating stage two and three bowel cancer.

 

The patients are still 100% recurrence-free nearly three years later.

Results from the NEOPRISM-CRC clinical trial, led by University College London, demonstrate a paradigm shift in treating stage two and three bowel cancer.

By administering nine weeks of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab prior to surgery—instead of the traditional post-operative chemotherapy—researchers achieved remarkable outcomes. Nearly three years into follow-up, 100% of participants with the MMR-deficient genetic profile remain cancer-free.

For many, the treatment was so effective that tumors "melted away" before surgery, with 59% of patients showing no detectable cancer cells after the short course of therapy.

This breakthrough is bolstered by advanced monitoring that uses personalized blood tests to track circulating tumor DNA. These tests allow doctors to predict treatment success and identify which patients might require less intensive therapy moving forward.

By targeting the 10-15% of bowel cancer patients with specific genetic markers, this approach offers a more effective, less toxic alternative to standard care. As recurrence rates for traditional treatment sit at roughly 25%, the perfect survival record seen in this trial suggests a new gold standard for high-risk bowel cancer management.

source: University College London. (2026). Breakthrough Bowel Cancer Trial Leaves Patients Cancer-Free for Nearly 3 Years. University College London News.

Hashem Al-Ghaili