The results of a small clinical trial showed that there could be a cure for rectal cancer. The trial – conducted by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan – involved at least 12 patients with rectal cancer who were taking a drug called dotarlimab. This according to a paper published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Patients received dotarlimab every three weeks for six months and had at least another six months of follow-up treatment, the newspaper reported. At the end of follow-up treatment, none of the patients showed signs of cancer, according to the newspaper. Even after two years for some patients, the cancer has not returned. BLANKING CAN BE PREVENTED BY REGULAR SKIN TEST AND ABCDE RULE: AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2022, there will be 44,850 new cases of rectal cancer. Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States, according to the agency. This year, colon cancer is expected to cause 52,580 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. A small clinical trial of the drug dotarlimab was found to completely cure 12 patients with rectal cancer. (iStock) The patients in the clinical trial all had tumors with a specific genetic composition known as mismatch correction failure (MMRd), according to a Memorial Sloan Kettering press release. The announcement said that between 5% and 10% of patients with rectal cancer have MMRd tumors. ST. JUDE PATIENT DESIGNS MONSTER JAM GAME TRUCK, SURPRISED BY THE REAL AGREEMENT: “SIMPLY AWESOME” None of the patients in the clinical trial needed radiation, surgery or chemotherapy, the press release said. “It’s incredibly satisfying to receive these happy tears and happy emails from patients in this study who complete the treatment and realize, ‘My God, I can maintain all my normal body functions that I was afraid I would lose from radiation. or surgery “. “Dr. Andrea Cercek, oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering, said in a statement. CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION Cercek is one of the co-authors of the paper, which was presented Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology. “It’s really exciting,” said Dr. Louis Diaz, Jr., another Memorial oncologist on Sloan Kettering and co-author of the paper. “More monitoring 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 made it clear: “More monitoring is needed to assess the duration of the response.” CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Clinical trials continue to enroll patients with MMRd cancer tumors, Memorial Sloan Kettering said in a press release. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The Cancer Center is also looking at how dotarlimab may be able to help patients with other cancers who also have MMRd tumors, such as cancer of the stomach, prostate and pancreas. Ann W. Schmidt is a lifestyle reporter and editor for Fox News Digital.
