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New Drug Eradicates Cancer Without Surgery
23 Apr
Summary
- A new drug trial eradicates bowel cancer without surgery.
- Immunotherapy drug palupiprant is being tested in the UK.
- Bowel cancer is increasing in young adults under 50.
A new immunotherapy drug, palupiprant, is being trialled by the NHS and has shown success in eradicating bowel cancer, potentially eliminating the need for surgery. This trial is particularly significant as bowel cancer is increasingly affecting young adults under 50.
Train driver Nick Cleworth, 48, was part of the ARTEMIS trial at 22 NHS sites. He received palupiprant along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. His golf ball-sized tumor was eradicated, allowing him to avoid surgery that would have resulted in a colostomy bag.
Bowel cancer, which begins in the colon or rectum, is rising sharply in those aged 25 to 49. Experts attribute this rise to factors like poor diet, obesity, and lack of exercise. Nick had a genetic predisposition, as his father died from the disease at the same age.
Dr. Claire Arthur, Nick's consultant at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, stated that immunotherapy harnesses the body's immune system. The ARTEMIS trial is a phase II study aiming to confirm earlier promising results from a smaller study of palupiprant.
Participants in UK clinical trials are randomly assigned to receive either the new drug or standard care. If successful, palupiprant could change the treatment of rectal cancer on the NHS. Nick has remained cancer-free since his scan in July, cherishing his ability to live life to the fullest without surgery.
