Promising Drug Trial , Appears to Cure , Cancer Patients.
'The Independent' reports that an experimental cancer drug used in a small clinical trial in the United States appears to have cured all patients involved.
The 12 rectal cancer patients were given dostarlimab over a six-month period.
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According to a study published in the 'New England Journal of Medicine,' all 12 patients' cancer went into remission.
This is the first time this has happened in the history of cancer, Dr Luis Diaz, Study lead author and oncologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), via 'The New York Times'.
According to the study, patients experienced no significant negative side effects while receiving the treatment.
However, 'The Independent' points out that the small trial did not involve enough people to highlight the potential adverse reactions caused by the drug.
Dostarlimab is an immunotherapy drug used to treat endometrial cancer.
This was the first trial to see whether the drug would also be effective against rectal cancer tumors.
'The Independent' reports that the drug works by tagging cancer cells and allowing the immune system to identify and destroy them.
According to the study, all patients appear to still be cancer free two years after receiving the treatment.
None of the patients went on to receive chemotherapy or undergo surgery.