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The results of a small clinical study found that there may be a cure for rectal cancer.
The study, conducted by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, involved at least 12 patients with rectal cancer taking a drug called dostarlimab.
This is stated in an article published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The patients took dostarlimab every three weeks for six months and had at least another six months of follow-up, the paper said.
At the end of the subsequent treatment, none of the patients had evidence of cancer, according to the publication.
Even after up to two years, in some patients the cancer has not yet returned.
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The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2022 there will be 44,850 new cases of rectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States, according to the organization.
Colorectal cancer is expected to cause 52,580 deaths this year, the American Cancer Society estimates.
A small clinical trial of dostarlimab was found to completely cure 12 patients with rectal cancer. (iStock)
All patients in the clinical trial had tumors with a specific genetic makeup known as Deficit Recovery Deficiency (MMRd), according to a press release from Memorial Sloan Kettering.
The report says that between 5% and 10% of patients with rectal cancer have MMRd tumors.
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None of the patients in the clinical trial needed radiation, surgery or chemotherapy, the press release said.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to receive these happy tears and happy emails from patients in this study who are completing treatment and realizing, ‘Oh my God, I can keep all my normal bodily functions that I feared I might lose from radiation or surgery, “said Dr. Andrea Cercek, an oncologist at the Sloan Catering Memorial.
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Cherchek is one of the co-authors of the article, which was presented Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
“It’s really exciting,” said Dr. Louis Diaz Jr., another Sloan Catering Memorial oncologist and co-author of the article.
“Longer follow-up is needed to assess the duration of the response.”
“I think this is a big step forward for patients.
Although the results are very positive, the document clearly states: “Longer follow-up is needed to assess the duration of the response.”
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The clinical trial continues to include patients with MMRd rectal cancer tumors, the Memorial Sloan Kettering said in a statement.
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The Cancer Center is also investigating how dostarlimab can help patients with other cancers who also have MMRd tumors, such as stomach, prostate and pancreatic cancers.
Ann W. Schmid is a lifestyle reporter and editor of Fox News Digital.
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