Photo Credit: Mohammed Elamine
The following is a summary of “Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab in Stage I-III Deficient Mismatch Repair Colon Cancer: A Clinical Trial,” published in the December 2024 issue of Surgery by Gögenur et al.
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has shown high rates of pathological complete response in people with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) colon cancer, although the optimal treatment duration and type remain uncertain.
Researchers conducted a prospective study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-cycle pembrolizumab in people with stage I-III dMMR colon cancer.
They conducted a multicenter, single-arm, phase II study to assess the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (4 mg/kg, maximum 400 mg) in people with stage I-III dMMR colon cancer. Participants received a single cycle of pembrolizumab followed by surgery 3 to 5 weeks later.
The results showed that 42 participants enrolled (February 2023 and September 2023), 41 received pembrolizumab and underwent surgery with a median of 32 days post-treatment. Surgical complications were observed in 16 participants (39%), including 3 grade 3b complications and 1 grade 5 gastric ulcer perforation. Of the evaluable participants, 46% (19/41) achieved a pathological complete response, and 61% had a significant pathological response.
They concluded that neoadjuvant single cycle pembrolizumab was well tolerated and effective in people with localized dMMR colon cancer.
