Neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade facilitates nonoperative management in early-stage tumors

In a phase 2 study involving 117 patients with early-stage mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors, neoadjuvant dostarlimab led to high rates of clinical complete responses. Specifically, all patients in cohort 1 with locally advanced rectal cancer opted for nonoperative management. Among cohort 2, 35 out of 54 also achieved a complete response. Remarkably, 92% of patients maintained recurrence-free survival at two years, with 95% experiencing only mild adverse events, highlighting the potential for organ preservation.