Study confirms ‘success’ of immunotherapy against most common colon cancer

Immunotherapy is a new form of cancer treatment that uses the patient’s own defense system as an ally in the fight against the disease. Although it may be shocking, science began to consider this idea of ​​treatment back in the late 19th century, namely in 1890; but only ten years ago, in 2013, the first results became noticeable. Melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, is the first to benefit from this new therapeutic tool, which has seen other cancers gradually (at least partially) decline. The next candidate appears to be the most common of colorectal tumors, a condition that oncologists know as metastatic microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer (MSS mCRC).

“The results we obtained are potentially revolutionary,” said Professor Justin Stebbing, co-author of the paper. Researchers tested the effectiveness of a combination of two immunotherapy drugs called botensilimab and balstilimab in a group of patients in the United States. Not only did they achieve very encouraging results, but they also had very tolerable side effects for patients.

Diarrhea and fatigue

The most common were diarrhea and fatigue. “These results are incredibly exciting. Colorectal or intestinal cancer, according to the researcher, is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide. “This is the first time there is compelling evidence that immunotherapy can work in all forms of colorectal tumors,” he said hopefully.

The group is so confident in its therapy proposal that it will continue the study and is confident that “very soon” both the US drug agency, FDA, and the UK agency will approve the use of the treatment. “Historically, metastatic colorectal cancer has not responded to immunotherapy, but now the rules of the game for patients may change,” said first co-author Andrea Bullock, professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. USA).

Another big step in the USA

The publication of the British-American work coincides with similar work carried out by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York (USA) with 15 patients suffering from colorectal cancer. The patients had tumors with a specific genetic mutation known as mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd) or microsatellite instability (MSI), which accounts for 5% of all types of anal cancer. The selected treatment was initially tested on one patient.

His apparent cure (an expression doctors use when diagnostic tests show no trace of cancer) prompted the team to try the same procedure on 14 more patients. The result was the same. Thus, 100% of patients were cured. The work, promoted by specialists Luis Diaz and Andrea Sercek, was the result of what the experts explained were “two key ideas.”

The first was to find out exactly what type of patients would benefit most from immunotherapy so that they could receive it immediately. The group also wanted to ensure that the alternative therapy, if it worked, would have as few side effects as possible, so they decided to try immunotherapy as the only treatment option. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, still used today, result in “lifelong bowel and bladder dysfunction, urinary incontinence, infertility, sexual dysfunction and more” as possible consequences. They succeeded too. “All patients have preserved bowel function, bladder function, sexual function and fertility. The women also retained their uteruses and ovaries. This is extraordinary,” they concluded.