Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Triple Pathological Response in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors boost pathological complete response rates in locally advanced rectal cancer, ranging from 25-62.5%. The clinical complete response rates also soared—hitting 100% in some cases of dMMR/MSI-H tumors. Sphincter preservation rates reached up to 100%. Despite promising outcomes, the evidence stems from a limited number of phase I/II trials without long-term survival data, highlighting the need for robust studies to verify these gains.