A groundbreaking study from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center reveals that the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab may allow patients with early-stage cancers, particularly those with a mismatch repair defect, to avoid surgery altogether.

Remarkably, 92% of those treated with dostarlimab showed no detectable signs of disease two years after treatment, indicating a strong clinical response.

Maureen Sideris, diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction cancer, participated in the study and successfully avoided major surgery and chemotherapy, now enjoying remission.

The study's authors, led by Dr. Andrea Cercek, are optimistic about expanding trials to include more cancer types and combining immunotherapy with other treatments to enhance patient outcomes.

Dr. Cercek aims to further investigate patients who did not respond to immunotherapy, hoping to extend its benefits to a broader range of genetically altered tumors.

Out of 103 participants in the trial, 82 responded so positively to dostarlimab that surgical intervention was deemed unnecessary, showcasing the treatment's significant potential.

Among other early-stage cancer patients, 35 out of 54 also became cancer-free after receiving immunotherapy, although some chose surgery for personal reasons.

While the treatment is promising, potential side effects include fatigue and serious conditions like lung infections, necessitating careful patient monitoring.

Dostarlimab has received fast track designation from the U.S. FDA for specific cancers and is included in treatment guidelines for certain genetic mutations by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Previous reports indicated that all 42 patients with rectal cancer treated with dostarlimab became cancer-free, prompting further investigation into its efficacy for other cancer types.

The study specifically targeted patients with a mismatch repair defect, a genetic alteration found in only 2-3% of cancer patients, which increases the likelihood of a positive response to immunotherapy.

The findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting, marking a significant advancement in cancer treatment.