By: Saryu Sharma
8.06.2022
Genre: Health
Keywords: Dostarlimab, cancer
Doctor’s and health experts were shocked to observe that every single rectal cancer patient, during a small clinical trial conducted by Manhattan’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City, had their cancer go into remission. They underwent an experimental immunotherapy treatment during the trial.
The medicine which was given to the patients is called dostarlimab and is sold under the brand name Jemperli.it costs $11,000 (Rs.8.5 lakh) per dose. Dostarlimb is not a new find in the medicine world. It is an immunotherapy drug used in the treatment of endometrial cancer.
This was the first clinical investigation of whether the drug was effective against rectal cancer tumors or not.
As per the study, which was published on Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine, a total of 12 patients completed treatment with dostarlimaband underwent atleast 6 months of follow up.” All 12 patients had a clinical complete response, with no evidence of tumor on magnetic resonance imaging” the study stated.
Notably all the patients had rectal cancer in a locally advanced stage.
Researcher’s told the New York Times that cancer vanished in every single one of the patients – who were a part of this experiment – and remained undetectable by Physical exam, endoscopy, PET scans or MRI scans.
Dr.Luis A. Diaz J of New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre said this was ” the first time this has happened in the history of cancer.”
Not expecting their cancerous tumors to subside, they agreed to be part of the dostarlimab trial. They even expected their current treatment modes to continue. But to their pleasant surprise, they were taken off the painful chemotherapy and also they would not have to go under the knife.
There was no sign of recurrence of cancer in the patients until 25 months from the end of the trial. Post treatment complications were also absent
How the drug works:
The patients were administeted dostarlimab every three weeks for six months.The medication aimed to unmask cancer cells, allowing the body’s immune system to identify and destroy them naturally. Right now further study is needed to confirm the result.
