‘Absolutely remarkable’: HCPs tweet excitement for study of dostarlimab in rectal cancer
Calling the research “beyond impressive” and “absolutely remarkable,” HCPs took to Twitter to heap praise on study results presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting describing treatment with dostarlimab in a subset of rectal cancer patients.
As Healio previously reported, dostarlimab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, demonstrated a 100% clinical complete response rate among a small cohort of patients with mismatch repair-deficient locally advanced rectal cancer in the phase 2 study.
Marco Gerlinger (@MarcoGerlinger) June 5, 2022. Andrea Cercek LBA at #ASCO22 14 of 14 (100%) MMRd rectal cancers had complete clinical response with dostarlimab immunotherapy. Moving rapidly away from chemotherapy, radiotherapy and potentially even surgery in these tumours. Twitter.
The New England Journal of Medicine article on the study was shared more than 1,000 times on the date of its publication, with 300 of these shares from HCPs. It was by far the most circulated link on social media that day. Twenty-four percent of all “mind blown” emojis used by HCPs during the ASCO meeting were in reference to this trial.
Additional research and longer follow-up are needed to evaluate the duration of treatment response in this patient population, according to the study authors.
HCPs nevertheless expressed their excitement at the potential implications of these findings, specifically the possibility that PD1 treatment could ultimately be used instead of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery in these patients.
Laura D Porter, MD (DrLauraPorter) June 5, 2022. #ASCO22 @CCAlliance @coloncancergal discussion of LBA5, @KimmieNgMD PD1 treatment instead of chemo, radiation and surgery particularly important in young onset CRC, not quite ready to be practice Excellent News for MSI-H. [Image in original post.] Twitter.
Research fellow Antonio Marra, MD, declared the study to be one of two “practice changing” publications from NEJM that day.
Antonio Marra, MD (@antoniomarraMD). June 5, 2022. Starting #ASCO22 day 3 with two practice-changing publications in @NEJM
Dostarlimab in locally advanced rectal cancer nejm.org/doi/full/10.10...
T-DXd in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer nejm.org/doi/full/10.10. [Image in original post.] Twitter.
HCPs were so impressed with the clinical response achieved by dostarlimab in the first 14 of 18 patients without surgery or radiotherapy that they shared posts appreciating the early start to their day.
Onyinye Balogun MD, MSc (@GlobalRadOnc) June 5, 2022. So worth it to wake up early for LBA5 presentation by @AndreaCercek @MSKCancerCenter! Dostarlimab in MSI-H Stage II/III rectal cancer. Complete clinical response in the first 14 of 18 pts without surgery or radiotherapy! Median fu 6.8 mos so more follow-up needed. #ASCO22 [Image in original post.] Twitter.
Adham Salkeni, MD (@AdhamSalkeni) June 5, 2022.Beyond impressive..Great start to day 3 of @asco #asco22 Dr. Cercek @AndreaCercek @sloan_kettering on Dostarlimab antiPD1 curative-intent tx in dMMR rectal ca #crcsm.. majority had locally advanced. 14 of 14 clinical complete response.. yes ***100%*** you are reading correctly. Twitter.
HCPs responded with enthusiasm, excitement and hope at the prospect of being able to successfully treat patients in this population without chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. They expressed their admiration for the work done on this study and were eager to see the results of longer-term follow-up. While some acknowledged that further study is needed, HCPs did not hold back from showing their enthusiasm for what these findings might mean for the future.
Mark Lewis (@marklewismd) June 5, 2022. Shout it from the rooftops: oncologists at #ASCO22 are again celebrating the opportunity to offer LESS treatment to our patients if we can preserve their quality of life without compromising their response!
Here we see rectal cancer treated without chemo, radiation, or surgery! [Images in original post.] Twitter.
Eric Horvitz (@erichorvitz) June 6, 2022. Absolutely remarkable immunotherapy result for mismatch repair-deficient colon cancer: https://bit.ly/3NmHajh Full article: https://nejm.org/doi/full/10.10... @AndreaCercek @ASCO @MSKCancerCenter Love the photo of the PIs with cured patients. Such a promising direction.
Oncologist Syed A. Ahmad summed up in one tweet:
Syed A. Ahmad (@SyedAAhmad5). June 5, 2022. Immune therapy ONLY for rectal cancer. No surgery, no radiation for MMR deficient patients!! Being presented today at ASCO.
Wow. Wow. Wow.
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Cercek A, et al. Abstract LBA5. Presented at: ASCO Annual Meeting; June 3-7, 2022; Chicago.
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