See Mismatch Repair Deficient colorectal cancer
Immunotherapy has shown significant benefits for certain subsets of colon cancer patients, particularly those with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) characterized by mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) or high microsatellite instability (MSI-H).
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, with or without ipilimumab, have demonstrated efficacy in these patients, leading to their FDA approval for this indication.
For dMMR/MSI-H mCRC, ICIs can achieve long-term durable remissions, with a notable advantage over traditional chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
Pembrolizumab, approved as a first-line treatment for metastatic MSI-H colon cancer, reflecting its significant clinical benefit.
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has shown promise in early-stage colon cancer, potentially improving surgical outcomes and reducing recurrence rates in patients with proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) or low microsatellite instability (MSI-L) tumors, which constitute the majority of colorectal cancer cases:Efforts are ongoing to expand these benefits to a broader patient population through combination therapies and biomarker-driven approaches.
Place on site immunotherapy for colorectal cancer