Immunotherapy may replace surgery, chemotherapy for some cancer patients — New study

A new study has found that immunotherapy may be a game-changer for some cancer patients, allowing them to forgo surgery and chemotherapy.

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City conducted a Phase 2 trial using the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab to treat patients with early-stage cancers that had mismatch repair deficiencies.

The study’s findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting in Chicago.

“We’re talking about patients who would normally require surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, and we’re saying, ‘Hey, you’re done. You don’t need any of that,'” said Dr Luis Diaz, the head of solid tumour oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

The trial included 103 patients with various types of cancer, including rectal, oesophageal, endometrial, kidney, and liver cancers. All patients had tumours with mismatch repair deficiencies, which made them more responsive to immunotherapy.

The results showed that 100% of patients with rectal cancer responded to the treatment, and 75% remained cancer-free a year or more after completing therapy.

Maureen Sideris, a 71-year-old patient with gastro-oesophageal cancer, was one of the first people to be treated with immunotherapy as part of the trial. She underwent six months of treatment and has been in remission for two years. “It was like winning the lottery,” Sideris said.

The researchers believe that this approach could be a substantial step forward in cancer treatment, particularly for patients with mismatch repair-deficient cancers.

“This will have a significant impact on quality of life,” Diaz said. “Being able to preserve people’s organs by avoiding surgery can have a huge effect.”

One of the most significant benefits of this treatment is that it can help patients avoid the long-term side effects of surgery and chemotherapy. For example, surgery for rectal cancer can result in a colostomy, which can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life. Chemotherapy and radiation can also have long-term effects on fertility, sexual function, and bowel control.

The study’s findings have the potential to change the way cancer is treated in the future. “Immune therapies have a ton of potential.

This shows we might be able to start with that,” said Dr Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Dr Suneel Kamath, a gastrointestinal medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, agrees that the findings are promising but notes that more research is needed to confirm the results.

The researchers are excited about the potential of immunotherapy to revolutionise cancer treatment.

“I think it’s a short step from this report to application as the standard of care,” Diaz said. With further research and development, immunotherapy could become a standard treatment option for patients with mismatch repair-deficient cancers.

As the medical community continues to explore the potential of immunotherapy, patients like Maureen Sideris serve as a testament to the treatment’s promise.

NBC

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