Latest news with #AndreaCercek
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Immunotherapy Breakthrough Could Help Some Cancer Patients Avoid Surgery and Chemotherapy
Researchers found that some cancer patients who used a new immunotherapy drug were able to shrink their tumors without undergoing chemotherapy or surgery 103 patients participated in the study, and 84 had 'all signs of their cancer' disappear Researchers said that the immunotherapy drug appeared to only work well with patients who had mismatch repair-deficiency, a unique genetic mutation most often found in patients with colorectal cancer A new immuno-based treatment could treat tumors without cancer patients undergoing surgery or chemotherapy, according to a new study. The research, published in The New England Journal of Medicine and announced at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, suggested that 92% of patients who used the new immunotherapy drug, dostarlimab, to shrink their tumors ,continued to be cancer-free for at least two years. Treating cancer usually involves a form of immunotherapy alongside chemotherapy and surgery to remove a tumor. However, the new immuno-based treatment would only require a single step — immunotherapy — to treat the cancer by teaching a person's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. One hundred and three patients participated in the study, 54 with a variety of "solid tumor cancers," including stomach, endometrial and prostate, and 49 with rectal cancer. Researchers shared in a press release from The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center that of the 54 patients with a 'variety of cancers," 35 had 'all signs of their cancer' disappear and were using the immuno-based treatment. Related: This Refrigerator Staple Might Lower a Woman's Risk of Colorectal Cancer, New Study Says Per the release, Dr. Andrea Cercek said, "Nearly 2 out of 3 patients with types of cancer other than rectal were able to preserve their organs and their quality of life." 'This is a very significant response, and the results were even better than we had hoped,' Dr. Cercek said. 'We found that some cancer types responded extremely well to the immunotherapy, including colon and stomach cancer.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Maureen Sideris, a patient who was diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction cancer in 2022 and participated in the study, said that the treatment had worked successfully for her, according to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center release. 'My husband, Tommy, and I were preparing for the worst,' she recalled in a statement. 'But after being treated with only immunotherapy, I had no evidence of cancer and didn't have to undergo surgery or chemo or radiation. I felt like I won the lottery!' Dr. Cerek reported that '20% of non-rectal cancer patients' who still had to undergo surgery 'saw lower rates of cancer recurrence." She said this suggests that 'even if the effect wasn't a home run, it helped most patients.' Related: Radiation from CT Scans Performed in Just 1 Year Could Lead to Over 100,000 Future Cancer Diagnoses, Study Finds As for all 49 patients with rectal cancer who participated in the study, 'there was no evidence of cancer after immunotherapy,' according to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center release. Researchers said that one patient had a 'growth in a lymph node' that was surgically removed but they 'kept their rectum.' However, researchers said that the new treatment comes with its own drawbacks as the immunotherapy drug appeared to only work well with patients who had mismatch repair-deficiency, which means certain cells have mutations when cancer cells separate, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Per the NCI, this mutation 'is most common' in 'colorectal cancer, other types of gastrointestinal cancer, and endometrial cancer" and can also be found in 'cancers of the breast, prostate, bladder and thyroid.' The immunotherapy drug works by targeting cells with this mutation, as the immunotherapy drug can more easily target the many mutations, per the study. 'We're really excited to help more people,' Dr. Cercek said. 'And we are already exploring why rectal tissue seems to have such an extraordinary response to immunotherapy and how we can use that knowledge to help with other cancer types.' Read the original article on People
Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
New Study Shows Promise for Cancer Patients Avoiding Surgery
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A promising new study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting shows that immunotherapy could help many cancer patients avoid surgery. Researchers found that 92 percent of patients who received only an immune-based treatment remained cancer-free two years later. Why It Matters The findings suggest that for some cancers, surgery and its difficult recovery may not always be necessary. This could dramatically change standard treatment approaches, offering a less invasive option with fewer long-term side effects for patients. Accuray Radixact machine with patient being positioned and accompanied by therapist on August 26-27 in Geneva, Swiss Confederation. Accuray Radixact machine with patient being positioned and accompanied by therapist on August 26-27 in Geneva, Swiss to Know The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, explored whether immune checkpoint inhibitors could help shrink tumors without the need for surgery. These drugs work by boosting the body's natural ability to detect and destroy cancer cells. Among patients with rectal cancer, a previous study found that all 42 participants who received the therapy remained cancer-free after four years. In this new study, which included patients with other types of cancers, such as colon, esophageal, stomach, and gastroesophageal junction cancers, 92 percent had no signs of disease after two years. Maureen Sideris, 71, was one of the patients who benefited from the new approach, Time reported. Diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction cancer, she initially faced the prospect of major surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Instead, she opted into the experimental immune-based treatment, receiving monthly infusions for nine months. Two years later, her cancer remains undetectable. Dr. Andrea Cercek of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who led the study, noted that even patients with more advanced Stage III cancers responded well. The treatment was effective even when cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes, offering hope for a broader group of patients. Researchers plan to follow patients for a longer period to determine if the benefits translate into higher survival rates. They are also investigating why some patients did not respond in hopes of refining the treatment even further. The checkpoint inhibitor used, dostarlimab, has already been fast-tracked by the FDA for certain cancers with specific genetic mutations. What People Are Saying Dr. Andrea Cercek, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to TIME: "Therapy like this can lead to significant tumor downstaging and improve patients' quality of life." Maureen Sideris, study participant to TIME: "The infusions were the easiest part. I'm so grateful I could avoid surgery." What Happens Next Researchers are continuing trials to determine the long-term effectiveness of this treatment across different cancer types and stages. If results remain strong, immunotherapy could become a standard first-line option for many patients, reshaping cancer care for years to come.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Immunotherapy drug capable of eliminating tumors in some early-stage cancers: Study
A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that some people with early-stage cancers may be able to skip surgery after being treated with the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab. In the study, 82 out of 103 participants responded so well to the drug that they no longer needed an operation. While the results are promising, the study was conducted at a single hospital — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City — and some patients have not been followed long enough to know if their cancer might return over time. And because the study included many different types of cancer, there were relatively few patients with each specific cancer type, making it difficult to interpret the results for larger groups of patients. It also focused on a very select type of patient whose tumors had a "mismatch repair defect," a genetic problem that prevents cells from fixing DNA damage and makes it more likely they would respond to immunotherapy. "They kind of selected themselves, in that they had a specific genetic alteration, and that genetic alteration occurs about 2% to 3% of all cancer patients," said Dr. Luis Diaz, one of the study's authors and head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology at MSKCC. MORE: RFK Jr. is moving to phase out synthetic food dyes. Are they safe? When people are diagnosed with early-stage cancers that form a lump or mass, they often need major surgery to try to remove it — and despite surgery, they can also face aggressive treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. Because these cancers often affect organs in the belly or digestive system, surgery can have a major impact on a patient's life. Some people lose part or all of their esophagus or stomach, making it hard or impossible to eat normally. Others may need a bag to collect stool or lose the ability to get pregnant. All 49 patients with early-stage rectal cancer who received six months of immunotherapy were able to avoid surgery. "And it's after six months of treatment, their tumors were completely gone," said another one of the study's authors, Dr. Andrea Cercek, head of the Colorectal Section at MSKCC. "They didn't need any other treatment." Two years later, 92% remained cancer-free. Among the first group to reach the five-year mark, all four patients were still disease-free — and two of them had gone on to have two children each. "The amazing thing is they would not have been able to conceive or carry children had they gone through standard therapy," Diaz said. MORE: Supreme Court divided over Obamacare mandate for no-cost preventive health benefits As for patients with other early-stage cancers, 35 of 54 were cancer-free after undergoing immunotherapy and were able to avoid surgery. However, two patients still chose to proceed with surgery — one for peace of mind and the other to remove medical hardware related to the cancer. Of the five patients whose cancers came back, most were successfully treated again. Cercek explained that, while immunotherapy alone may not yet help most cancer patients avoid surgery, their work opens the door for the future. "Just close your eyes and just imagine that one day you're diagnosed with cancer and you don't have your esophagus or your stomach or your rectum or your bladder, and you can avoid that," Diaz said. "For these 3% we can completely eliminate the need for surgery. It's quite transformational." By combining different approaches with this type of immunotherapy, Cercek hoped they can replicate their success in more types of cancer. "So, we are continuing this trial and we are working on expanding the study outside of Memorial with more patients so that we can offer this therapy as a standard of care," Cercek said. Luis Gasca -- an internal medicine resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Michigan, and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit -- contributed to this report. Immunotherapy drug capable of eliminating tumors in some early-stage cancers: Study originally appeared on
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Immunotherapy Could Replace Surgery for Certain Types of Cancer, New Study Finds
Results from a groundbreaking clinical trial could soon change the way certain types of cancers are treated. A study published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine found that immunotherapy could replace surgery for patients with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd) solid tumors — which would preserve their quality of life. According to the American Cancer Society, immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment in which a patient's own immune system is boosted or changed to fight cancer cells. Sometimes, it can work by stimulating someone's natural defenses to make them stronger and more effective at finding and attacking cancer. Other times, it can involve using lab-m substances that act like components of the immune system — like the proteins monoclonal antibodies, which bind to targets on cancer cells so the immune system can identify them better and destroy them. The phase 2 study was conducted by gastrointestinal oncologists Andrea Cercek, MD, and Luis Diaz Jr., MD and led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. It was an extension of game-changing research from MSK that came out in December 2024, which saw rectal cancer disappear in 100 percent of patients who took dostarlimab (also known as Jemperli), a form of immunotherapy, in the small trial. 42 people completed the treatment and showed no signs of having cancer afterwards. Because of the success of the treatment, the FDA granted dostarlimab a 'Breakthrough Therapy Designation' for treating people with MMRd rectal cancers. The follow-up trial included 103 patients with stage 1-3 cancer. 49 patients had rectal cancer and 54 had non-rectal cancers, including gastroesophageal, hepatobiliary, colon, genitourinary, and gynecologic. They all had MMRd cancer, which means the cells have mutations in the genes that help correct mistakes when DNA is copied — and if a cell cannot fix the mistakes, it becomes cancerous. According to the National Cancer Institute, MMRd cancer is most common in colorectal cancer. The usual course of treatment for MMRd cancers is surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The study set out to examine whether just treating patients with immunotherapy for six months would be effective at treating cancer. In the study, 100 percent of the patients with rectal cancer had a clinical complete response (meaning all signs of cancer had disappeared) and 65 percent of those with other types of cancer saw their tumors disappear. In total, about 80 percent of patients who were treated with immunotherapy did not have to undergo surgery. 'This study shows that immunotherapy can replace surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors, which could help patients preserve their organs and avoid the harsh side effects of chemo and radiation,' said Dr. Andrea Cercek, gastrointestinal oncologist and co-director of the Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancer at MSK. 'Preserving a patient's quality of life while also successfully achieving positive results in eliminating their cancer is the best possible outcome. They can return to their daily routines and maintain their independence.' Maureen Sideris, a participant in the trial who was diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction cancer in 2022, said, 'I was afraid that if I got surgery on my esophagus, I wouldn't be able to talk for a while, which would be awful.' Sideris did not have to undergo surgery thanks to the success of the immunotherapy alone, which she said, 'was just amazing.' Dr. Cercek and Dr. Diaz now hope to be able to use this approach to treat even more types of post Immunotherapy Could Replace Surgery for Certain Types of Cancer, New Study Finds appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Immunotherapy Could Replace Surgery for Certain Types of Cancer, New Study Finds
Results from a groundbreaking clinical trial could soon change the way certain types of cancers are treated. A study published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine found that immunotherapy could replace surgery for patients with locally advanced mismatch repair-deficient (MMRd) solid tumors — which would preserve their quality of life. According to the American Cancer Society, immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment in which a patient's own immune system is boosted or changed to fight cancer cells. Sometimes, it can work by stimulating someone's natural defenses to make them stronger and more effective at finding and attacking cancer. Other times, it can involve using lab-made substances that act like components of the immune system — like the proteins monoclonal antibodies, which bind to targets on cancer cells so the immune system can identify them better and destroy them. The phase 2 study was conducted by gastrointestinal oncologists Andrea Cercek, MD, and Luis Diaz Jr., MD and led by Memorial Sloan Kettering. It was an extension of game-changing research from MSK that came out in December 2024, which saw rectal cancer disappear in 100 percent of patients who took dostarlimab (also known as Jemperli), a form of immunotherapy, in the small trial. 42 people completed the treatment and showed no signs of having cancer afterwards. Because of the success of the treatment, the FDA granted dostarlimab a 'Breakthrough Therapy Designation' for treating people with MMRd rectal cancers. The follow-up trial included 103 patients with stage 1-3 cancer. 49 patients had rectal cancer and 54 had non-rectal cancers, including gastroesophageal, hepatobiliary, colon, genitourinary, and gynecologic. They all had MMRd cancer, which means the cells have mutations in the genes that help correct mistakes when DNA is copied — and if a cell cannot fix the mistakes, it becomes cancerous. According to the National Cancer Institute, MMRd cancer is most common in colorectal cancer. The usual course of treatment for MMRd cancers is surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The study set out to examine whether just treating patients with immunotherapy for six months would be effective at treating cancer. In the study, 100 percent of the patients with rectal cancer had a clinical complete response (meaning all signs of cancer had disappeared) and 65 percent of those with other types of cancer saw their tumors disappear. In total, about 80 percent of patients who were treated with immunotherapy did not have to undergo surgery. 'This study shows that immunotherapy can replace surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors, which could help patients preserve their organs and avoid the harsh side effects of chemo and radiation,' said Dr. Andrea Cercek, gastrointestinal oncologist and co-director of the Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancer at MSK. 'Preserving a patient's quality of life while also successfully achieving positive results in eliminating their cancer is the best possible outcome. They can return to their daily routines and maintain their independence.' Maureen Sideris, a participant in the trial who was diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction cancer in 2022, said, 'I was afraid that if I got surgery on my esophagus, I wouldn't be able to talk for a while, which would be awful.' Sideris did not have to undergo surgery thanks to the success of the immunotherapy alone, which she said, 'was just amazing.' Dr. Cercek and Dr. Diaz now hope to be able to use this approach to treat even more types of post Immunotherapy Could Replace Surgery for Certain Types of Cancer, New Study Finds appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
