Rectal cancer disappears after experimental use of immunotherapy
A clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City has achieved groundbreaking results in treating rectal cancer using the immunotherapy drug Jemperli. The trial targeted patients with tumors characterized as mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI). The trial's success led to the FDA granting Jemperli "Breakthrough Therapy Designation" in late 2024 to expedite its development and review.
So far, 42 people have completed treatment, and all of them have no evidence of disease. Side effects were quite mild and well tolerated.
“This new treatment is also proving very durable,” said Andrea Cercek, M.D., one of the two oncologists who led the trial. “Most people on the trial have been free of cancer for at least a year, and the original participants have been healthy for up to four years and counting. The success rate remains 100%.”
The trial's approach of using immunotherapy alone allowed patients to avoid the standard treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, which often come with severe side effects. The results were presented at major conferences and published in leading medical journals, influencing cancer treatment guidelines and practices worldwide.
This breakthrough has not only improved patients’ outcomes, but it also preserved their quality of life by avoiding life-altering side effects.