Woman's bowel cancer disappears thanks to 'miracle' drug

Carrie Downey, 42, found her bowel cancer had disappeared after treatment with the drug

A woman has been given the all-clear from cancer after being treated with a drug described as a "miracle".

Carrie Downey's stage three bowel cancer disappeared within six months of taking dostarlimab.

She is one of a small number of people globally to be given the drug for bowel cancer.

While the drug is still being clinically trialled, early data has so far shown a 100% success rate against a specific variant of the disease.

Around 42,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK every year.

Early trials have shown the drug to be effective in treating 3% to 5% of bowel cancers which have a particular gene mutation.

Wales and Italy are the only countries so far to have approved dostarlimab as a standard offer for the disease.

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While investigating pains from a previous hernia mesh implant, doctors discovered Carrie, from Port Talbot, had bowel cancer.

An operation to remove the tumour would have left 42-year-old Carrie needing a permanent stoma. 

What does dostarlimab do?

After a referral to Dr Craig Barrington, a consultant oncologist at Singleton Hospital in Swansea, she was offered dostarlimab instead - which works by helping the immune system to destroy the cancer.

Carrie said: "[Dr Barrington] said something along the lines of: 'What would you do if I said we could get the same result, no evidence of cancer, without having a permanent stoma and major surgery?'

"He had checked my biopsies and knew I had this rare mutation... He asked if I would like to go ahead with it."

Carrie was given dostarlimab infusions for six months. Subsequent tests showed there was no longer any evidence of her having the disease.

"I'm just so thankful to Dr Barrington and his team that I got the chance and that he had looked into the mutation and looking at these new therapies," she said.

"He has given me my life back. I will be forever grateful to him."

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in Wales

All 36 patients in the United States who took part in an early phase trial which used dostarlimab to treat their bowel cancer had no detectable cancer after treatment.

So far in Wales, fewer than 10 bowel cancer patients have received the treatment - which is administered every three weeks for six months.

Those who have finished their course of treatment have seen the cancer disappear and all have reported the side effects of the drug to be minimal or non-existent.

'Unheard of in oncological care'

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.

It is already routinely used to treat endometrial cancer, which has the same gene mutation found in colorectal cancer.

Dr Barrington added: "To have it as an option for patients as a standard of care is really exciting. I think it completely revolutionises the way we approach colorectal cancer.

"These patients would have typically had surgery in the past. A small number of patients are now not needing surgery so that's space for someone else to move up the list."

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

• changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you

• needing to poo more or less often than usual for you

• blood in your poo, which may look red or black

• bleeding from your bottom

• often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet

• tummy pain

• bloating

• losing weight without trying

• feeling very tired for no reason

Source: NHS - Bowel cancer symptoms

Wales is the first UK nation to have dostarlimab approved as a standard treatment offer. 

It was ratified by Welsh Government following a robust process of checks and evaluation of its benefits.

Janet Baker, from Newport in Pembrokeshire, has also been treated with dostarlimab.

She is waiting for her final meeting with Dr Barrington where she is also hoping to get the all clear.

Janet Baker, 73, is also hoping for the all-clear after being treated with the drug

The 73-year-old grandmother said her bowel cancer symptoms disappeared after her first treatment session at Withybush Hospital.

"I still pinch myself that I feel so well and have felt so well all through the treatment really. I don't have any symptoms so I'm hoping everything is gone. I do still feel it's a miracle," Janet said.

"It takes half an hour to put the drug in, we often go for lunch on the way home and that's it for three weeks. I'm fine."

She added: "I'm almost ashamed to tell others about it because I have a friend going through a really rough time having chemo and it knocks her out every time and she can hardly get out of bed."

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in Wales and the second biggest killer.