All fourteen rectal cancer patients in a small phase II study of dostarlimab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, saw their cancer completely disappear—with no progression or recurrence at follow-up six to 25 months later. None of the patients required further chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.
In modern oncology, important insights from clinical trials often emerge years after initial publication. As new therapies extend survival and transition more patients into long-term remissions, clinicians and researchers are increasingly looking beyond initial response rates to understand durability, long-term safety, and even the possibility of a cure.
