Immunotherapy drugs work by helping the immune system find and attack cancer cells. They work best when the cells are easier for the immune system to find.
Cancer cells that are MMRd look more foreign to the immune system. That makes them easier for immune cells to find. The checkpoint inhibitor drugs are more likely to work.
This therapy “unmasks” tumor cells, making it easier for the patient’s own immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells.
The treatment has proved particularly helpful for people whose tumors are caused by Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that makes people much more likely to develop colorectal and other cancers.
“People with Lynch syndrome usually don’t respond well to chemotherapy, so this gives them an important new option for treatment of early-stage disease,” says Dr. Cercek.
Lynch Syndrome Ireland 