In a study in the US, all 18 patients with rectal cancer were completely cured by a new immunotherapy drug. Tumors were not revealed in any of the patients examined after the six-month course. Some patients have been there for two years and till now no symptoms of cancer have emerged. The results of this study, led by Dr. Luis A. Diaz Jr. of MSK Cancer Center in New York, have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Scientists say that even though this study was done on 18 patients is small, its results are very encouraging. In the future, this may pave the way for accurate treatment of various types of cancer. During the study, all patients were given dostarlimab, a drug called a checkpoint inhibitor. One dose was given every third week for six months. When the test was done after the completion of the dosage, none of the patients had any symptoms of cancer. Before the study, it was believed that some patients might need chemotherapy or other medication later, but this did not happen. The cancer of all the patients included in the study was in the early stage, that is, it had not started spreading to other parts of the body.
This is how medicine works
Cancer cells can hide from the body's immune system. Due to this quality, tumors are formed in the body. This drug removes that veil from cancer cells and makes them easier for our immune system to see. After this, our immune system destroys those cancer cells. That is why this procedure is called immunotherapy.
Hope tied to a test five years ago
In 2017, the pharma company Merck under the leadership of Dr. Luis Diaz tested its checkpoint inhibitor drug pembrolizumab. During that time such patients were included, who had metastatic cancer, that is, cancer had spread to many parts of the body. After taking the drug for two years, in about half of the patients, the tumor had shrunk or stopped its spread. The cancer was gone in 10 percent of the patients. Seeing this result, Dr. Diaz thought that if the drug is used on cancer from the spread in the same organ, then what will be the result? With this thought in mind, he completed the study in collaboration with the pharma company GlaxoSmithKline.
The medical world surprised by the results of clinical trials
According to the report, the patients involved in the clinical trial were earlier undergoing painful treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to get rid of cancer. 18 patients had joined the trial thinking that this was the next phase of their treatment. However, he was surprised to learn that now he does not need any further treatment. The results of clinical trials have taken the medical world by surprise.
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