New Delhi: In an experimental trial, 18 rectal cancer patients’ tumours vanished after a treatment of immunotherapy without surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. The startling results have left oncologists and patients thrilled and hopefulf for future implications. The trial results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine on Sunday (June 5). The patients had consumed a drug called Dostarlimab for a period of six months and all of them witnessed a complete disappearance of their tumours.

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No surgery, radiation or chemotherapy

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) medical oncologist Andrea Cercek stated, in a press release, that rectal cancer patients face a hard time when undergoing surgery, radition and chemotherapy. So, with immunotherapy, patients would be able to avoid the toxic side-effects of traditional treatments such as life-altering bowel and bladder dysfunction, incontinence, infertility, sexual dysfunction. 

Using Immunotherapy

In the trial, the patients were administered a drug Dostarlimab which acted as a substitute for antibodies. Immunotherapy is when the body’s immune system works against the cancer and the researchers were trying to determine if immunotherapy could work against rectal cancer that had not metastasised (spread) to other parts of the body. This trial was performed on a specific subset of patients whose tumour had a specific genetic mutation.

In a press release, Dr. Cercek said, “We are seeing more and more young people with rectal cancer, including people in their 20s in our trial. Immunotherapy might be an important new option for them.”

The cancer did not come back for any of the patients on a timeline of 2 years. The trial put forth promising results for cancer patients and oncologists. However, a larger trial would be required to explore the scope of this new treatment.