Days after some patients recovered from rectal cancer after receiving immunotherapy during a clinical trial, experts said it was too early to conclude that a cure for all cancers has been found. Recently, a New York Times article noted that in a small clinical trial conducted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 18 patients took a drug called dostarlimumab for about six months and, eventually, each of them saw his tumor disappear.
After the revelation, Dr (Col) R Ranga Rao, President of Oncology at Paras Hospital, Gurugram told news agency ANI, “We should not jump to the premature conclusion that we have found a cure for all. cancerat all stages, and no chemotherapy, or surgery is ever needed.”
“This new trial in a small number of locally advanced patients,” said Dr. Rao. rectal cancer Of the patients who lacked MMR, all but 100 percent showed complete disappearance of the tumor without any additional treatment.”
“This is very encouraging but we should note that long-term studies are needed to understand the real effect,” he said.
“Medicine is still under investigation and trials are limited to a specific type of patients, which constitute about four to five percent of rectal cancers. While this is highly encouraging, we should not jump to the premature conclusion that We’ve found a cure for all cancers, all stages, and don’t require any chemotherapy, or surgery,” he said.
“It is well recognized that immunotherapy with PDL1 blockers is effective in MMRD patients. Already immunotherapy has made a big difference in the field of all types of cancer. Many earlier trials have shown encouraging responses,” he adds.
Whereas Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, Founder and Director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals said, “After immunotherapy, rectal cancer went away without the need for conventional treatments. We should consider adapting the therapy to Indian conditions so that even the most disadvantaged communities benefit from it. May be. This treatment.”
Dr Bajaj said, “I believe this is the first time in the history of cancer. Every single patient has gone on to develop cancer, which cannot be detected by physical examination, endoscopy, PET scan or MRI scan.”
“These patients had endured difficult treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and, most likely, life-changing surgery that could cause bowel, urinary, and sexual problems. Some would require a colostomy bag. However, immunotherapy After that, the rectal cancer went away without the need for conventional treatments,” he said.