Study identifies enhanced impact of treatment for hereditary cancer patients

People with an inherited syndrome called familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) have a 100% lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer if they do not seek appropriate medical care. Recent findings published by researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah identified a promising prevention treatment for patients with FAP. A new study takes these findings a step further by reporting that the treatment led to a near-complete blockade of cancer growth pathways in polyps isolated from FAP patients. Further, these patients showed evidence of activated immune responses aimed at destroying pre-cancerous polyps. The findings were published today in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.