Overall, the rates of colon cancer have steadily declined over the last three decades. However, during this same period, rates of the disease in people under the age of 50 have dramatically increased. Researchers theorize that it is likely a combination of factors that have contributed to this rise, such as a sedentary lifestyle, diet, and obesity rates. Colon cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related death in adults aged 20 to 49, with rates continuously increasing. It is very evident that this field of medical research is in dire need of more effective treatments. Thankfully, a new trial has revealed a potential solution, offering what the researchers describe as the “next frontier of immunotherapy.” This breakthrough experimental treatment has already proven to be successful in healing a 35-year-old woman from Minnesota.
The Next Frontier of Immunotherapy
Emma Dimery was only 23 years old when she first received her colon cancer diagnosis. Two years ago, the disease had developed to stage 4, and Dimery was told that the colon cancer was incurable. It was at this point that she turned to a clinical trial as a last resort. Now 35 years of age, Dimery is healthy and completely cancer-free. However, the path to health was not an easy one and stretches back many years. She first underwent a colonoscopy after experiencing pain in her abdomen, which revealed that she had two large tumors.
Over the years following her diagnosis, Dimery underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries. However, her cancer proved to be resistant to treatment and spread throughout her body. Over the next four years, she did immunotherapy sessions every other week, but felt like she was quickly running out of options. She had tried every standard treatment, as well as unusual ones, but none of them helped at all. Dimery became so desperate, she was willing to try any available clinical trials. She then heard about a new trial run by the University of Minnesota and was onboard from the very first day. Led by Dr. Emil Lou, the trial tested an experimental genetic therapy that targeted the insides of cells.
According to Dr. Lou, “Some of the targets inside the cell are preventing the immune system from activating against the cancer. It’s kind of like a shield that protects the cancer cell from the body’s immune system.” First, the immune cells were retrieved from the participants and then altered using gene editing technology called CRISPR-Cas9. These altered cells were then reintroduced into the participants via infusions. These modified cells had been specifically trained to fight cancer when reintroduced into a patient’s body.
Read More: Cancer Treatment Leads to the Removal of Eight Organs in Woman’s Body
Results of the New Trial
Out of the 12 participants who took part in the trial, Dimery had the best outcomes by far. Most advanced-stage colon cancers are currently considered incurable. The existing treatments, such a chemotherapy, are not able to cure metastatic stage 4 colon cancer patients. Yet, Dimery was in this exact stage when she entered this new immunotherapy trial. Her response was incredibly remarkable, and she was pronounced cancer-free after receiving a single infusion of the altered cells. Termed a “clinical complete response”, less than 10% of stage 4 colon cancer patients ever achieve this result.
Dimery has stated that she is still doing well two years after the trial, with no sign of the disease returning. Her remarkable recovery was recently shared at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Chicago. The researchers now hope to replicate this success and learn how they can achieve the same result consistently for other colon cancer patients. Many doctors are now calling for screenings at an earlier age.
Colon cancer often does not present any symptoms until the late stages. However, there are currently many methods of screening currently available. The sooner a patient is screened and diagnosed, the better their chances of a successful outcome. Alarmingly, around half of the colon cancer patients screened were already at stage 4 of the disease. Each individual type of cancer requires a different treatment. This is why patients also need to undergo genetic testing to see if the trial treatment will work for them. Thankfully, Dimery had been diagnosed with a type of cancer that the trial treatment was specifically good at targeting.
