Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJane MaasTuesday 21 April 2026 08:27 BSTGeorge Alagiah: BBC newsreader dies aged 67 after bowel cancer diagnosisA groundbreaking new treatment regime for bowel cancer, involving immunotherapy before surgery, has shown remarkable success with zero relapses observed in patients after 33 months.The NEOPRISM-CRC trial, led by University College London (UCL) and UCLH, found that 59 per cent of patients exhibited no signs of disease following pembrolizumab treatment and subsequent surgery.This innovative approach significantly reduces the need for chemotherapy and stands in stark contrast to standard treatment, where approximately a quarter of patients typically experience cancer recurrence within three years.The study focused on 32 patients with stage two or three bowel cancer who possess a specific genetic profile (MMR deficient/MSI-high), representing 10-15 per cent of such cases in the UK.Researchers are optimistic that this “highly effective” treatment, which uses the drug pembrolizumab for up to nine weeks pre-operatively, could be extended to a broader range of bowel cancer patients.In fullNew bowel cancer immunotherapy treatment ‘highly effective’ in improving survival ratesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in