Immunotherapy may potentially cut death and recurrence rates in half for colon cancer patients by 50%.
Whether you're dealing with colon cancer, one of the world's most common cancers, it's crucial to understand that not every treatment method works for all types. For instance, Deficient Mismatch Repair (dMMR) colon cancer, accounting for 5-15% of cases, isn't as responsive to chemotherapy as other types due to mutations in specific genes.
However, there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon. A groundbreaking study, presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, suggests that adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy after surgery for stage 3 colon cancer may cut the recurrence and death rate by half.
In the study, involving 712 participants with an average age of 64, researchers recruited individuals with dMMR stage 3 colon cancer, a type where the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes but not anywhere else. All participants had undergone surgery to remove their cancer, but still had cancer cells in their lymph nodes.
Participants were divided into two groups: one receiving just chemotherapy for colon cancer, the other receiving chemotherapy combined with atezolizumab – an immunotherapy drug that targets a specific cancer cell protein called PD-L1, making the cancer cells visible and attackable by the immune system.
The results were profound. Those receiving chemotherapy with immunotherapy had a 50% reduction in cancer recurrence and death – known as disease-free survival (DFS) – compared to those who only received chemotherapy.
"The findings from our study represent a major advance in the adjuvant treatment of dMMR stage 3 colon cancer and will now change the treatment for this type of cancer," says Frank Sinicrope, MD, the lead author of the study and an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He added, "We're changing the paradigm in colon cancer treatment. By using immunotherapy at earlier stages of disease, we are achieving meaningful benefits for our patients."
While the findings are promising, more studies are needed to verify long-term survival rates and recurrence data. Moreover, researchers are exploring whether immunotherapy could eventually reduce the length of adjuvant chemotherapy/immunotherapy for some patients and whether it could be used for earlier-stage disease.
Expert opinions are overwhelmingly positive. Glenn S. Parker, MD, FACS, FASCRS, a colorectal surgeon, expressed a strong sense of hope, stating that the study's findings mark a significant step forward in the care of patients with dMMR colon cancer.
In conclusion, the integration of immunotherapy like atezolizumab into adjuvant therapy for stage III dMMR colon cancer signifies a significant advancement in treatment strategies for this patient population, potentially offering more personalized and effective treatment options.
- Colorectal cancer, a common global medical condition and a type of chronic disease known as cancer, has variables in treatment responses, with Deficient Mismatch Repair (dMMR) cancer, accounting for 5-15% of cases, being less responsive to chemotherapy due to specific gene mutations.
- findings from a groundbreaking study presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting indicate that combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy after surgery for stage 3 colon cancer may reduce cancer recurrence and death rates by half.
- The study focused on individuals with dMMR stage 3 colon cancer, a type where the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes but not anywhere else, who had undergone surgery to remove their cancer but still had cancer cells in their lymph nodes.
- The participants were separated into two groups: one received only chemotherapy, while the other received chemotherapy combined with atezolizumab, an immunotherapy drug that targets PD-L1 cancer cell protein.
- Those receiving chemotherapy with immunotherapy experienced a 50% reduction in cancer recurrence and death, as compared to those who only received chemotherapy.
- Advancements in oncology science and personalized health-and-wellness therapies and treatments are expected as researchers look into potential reductions in the length of adjuvant chemotherapy/immunotherapy for some patients, as well as exploring the use of immunotherapy for earlier-stage disease.
