Dostarlimab: A breakthrough in the field of oncology

Of the 19 million cancer cases reported worldwide in 2020, colorectal cancer (CRC) has a 10% prevalence and 9.4% mortality. A critical lack of cancer treatment facilities in third-world countries like Pakistan where a significant prevalence of CRC has been detected. The five FDA-approved drugs used for CCR therapy (Durvalumab, Atezolizumab, Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab, and Avelumab) have been associated with a high occurrence of grade 3-4 adverse side effects. Dostarlimab is a new drug previously used to treat endometrial cancers and has a mechanism of action that is in accordance with other PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. A recent clinical trial has found Dostarlimab to cure 100% of the CRC patients who were given this drug while also showing no adverse events of grade 3 or higher in any patient. The recent clinical trial has opened up doors for future clinical trials perhaps with bigger sample sizes and ones that also include CRC patients belonging to wider geo-economic backgrounds such as those of Pakistan and other Asian countries.