AN immunotherapy drug could spare bowel cancer patients the need for surgery and chemotherapy after results showed it was effective in 100 per cent of cases.
Jemperli, also called dostarlimab, showed “unprecedented results”, maker GSK said, with no evidence of disease in all patients treated.
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Everyone on the medication had locally advanced mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) rectal cancer, a form of bowel cancer, according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago.
Jemperli is already approved on the NHS for women with some types of advanced or recurrent womb cancer.
The data showed all 42 patients in a trial led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in the US had a complete response to treatment, with no evidence of tumours on scans.
The first 24 patients have been followed up so far for just over 26 months on average.
READ MORE ON BOWEL CANCER
Studies suggest (dMMR) rectal cancer accounts for five to 10 per cent of all rectal cancers.
Hesham Abdullah, a senior vice president at GSK, said: “The data showing no evidence of disease in 42 patients is remarkable.
“These results bring us one step closer to understanding the potential of dostarlimab in this curative-intent setting for patients with dMMR locally advanced rectal cancer.
“We look forward to evaluating dostarlimab in certain colorectal cancers in our ongoing AZUR-1 and AZUR-2 registrational studies.”
The current standard of care for patients with this type of cancer is chemotherapy plus radiation, followed by surgery.
Andrea Cercek, principal investigator for the phase II study, said the new treatment showed “durable complete tumour regression without the need for life-altering treatment” such as chemotherapy and surgery.
She added: “As a clinician, I’ve seen firsthand the debilitating impact of standard treatment of dMMR rectal cancer.
“I am thrilled about the potential of dostarlimab in these patients.”
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common form of the disease in England, with around 44,000 new cases every year.
More than 16,800 lose their lives annually, Cancer Research UK statistics show.
Public awareness is on the up thanks to campaigners like Sun writer Dame Deborah James, who died from the disease in 2022 at just 40 years old.
The signs of bowel cancer you need to know – remember BOWEL
B: Bleeding
There are several possible causes of bleeding from your bottom, of blood in your poo.
Bright red blood could come from swollen blood vessels, haemorrhoids or piles, in your back passage.
Dark red or black blood could come from your bowel or stomach.
Blood in your stools is one of the key signs of bowel cancer, so it’s important to mention it to your doctor so they can investigate.
O: Obvious change in loo habits
It’s important to tell your GP if you have noticed any changes in your bowel habits, that lasts three weeks or longer.
It’s especially important if you have also noticed signs of blood in your poo.
You might notice you need to go to the loo more often, you might have looser stools or feel like you’re not going enough or fully emptying your bowels.
Don’t be embarrassed, your GP will have heard a lot worse! Speak up and get it checked.
W: Weight loss
This is less common than the other symptoms, but an important one to be aware of. If you’ve lost weight and don’t really know why, it’s worth mentioning to your GP.
You may not feel like eating, feel sick, bloated and not hungry.
E: Extreme tiredness
Bowel cancer that causes bleeding can cause a lack of iron in the body – anaemia. If you develop anaemia you’re likely to feel tired and your skin might look pale.
L: Lump or pain
As with lots of other forms of cancer, a lump or pain can be a sign of bowel cancer.
It’s most likely you’ll notice a pain or lump in your stomach or back passage.
See your GP if it doesn’t go away, or if it affects how you eat or sleep
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What is Jemperli?
Dostarlimab, sold under the brand name Jemperli, is an immunotherapy drug.
It is a checkpoint inhibitor, which affects a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte.
These are an important part of the immune system and when active, can attack another cell, such as a cancer cell.
But if they receive a certain signal from the other cell, they switch off and do not attack it.
Checkpoint inhibitors block the signals that switch off lymphocytes by attaching to either the cancer cell or the lymphocyte.
This means the lymphocyte stays active and can attack the cancer cell.
Dostarlimab is already approved on the NHS for women with some types of advanced or recurrent womb cancer.
Source: Macmillan