06 October 2023 , 18:41
817
0
Carrie Downey's stage three bowel cancer disappeared within six months of taking dostarlimab, which has been dubbed as a "miracle" drug.
She is one of a small number of people globally to be given the drug for bowel cancer, which is only approved in Wales and Italy as a standard offer for the disease.
According to Bowel Cancer UK, the disease is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with more than nine out of 10 cases being diagnosed in people over 50.
So far, early trials have shown the drug to be effective in treating up to five per cent of bowel cancers which have a particular gene mutation.
Carrie was diagnosed after doctors in Port Talbot found the tumour while investigating pains from a previous hernia implant. If she had an operation, it would've left the 42-year-old with a permanent stoma.
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
After a referral to a consultant oncologist at Singleton Hospital in Swansea, she was offered dostarlimab instead of the operation. The treatment works by helping the immune system to destroy the cancer.
Carrie said: "Dr Craig Barrington said something along the lines of, what would you do if I said we could get the same result... without having a permanent stoma and major surgery?"
"He had checked my biopsies and I knew I had this rare mutation... he asked if I would like to go ahead with it."
The 42-year-old had dostarlimab infusions for six months. Tests later showed there was no longer evidence of the disease.
"He has given me my life back. I will forever be grateful to him," said Carrie.
So far in Wales, fewer than 10 bowel cancer patients have received the treatment, with those who finished the course seeing the cancer disappear, and reporting minimal or no side effects at all.
Dr Barrington said: "I've been blown away by the results. I accept the numbers are small so far and it's early phase data but to get 100% complete response in a drug which is well tolerated and works incredibly quickly is unheard of in oncological care.
"Patients report even after their first treatment their symptoms have disappeared. It's just remarkable."
Dostarlimab can be offered to patients who have stage two or stage three cancer, and is routinely used to treat endometrial cancer, which has the same gene mutation found in colorectal cancer.