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A civil servant in the UK has received a clean bill of health from cancer after being the first person in Wales to receive a groundbreaking new drug, as reported by Swansea Bay University Health Board. The BBC also covered the story. Carrie Downey, a 42-year-old individual, was diagnosed with bowel cancer a year ago and underwent six months of dostarlimab infusions. According to the report, tests have confirmed the absence of any remaining traces of the disease. Dostarlimab, a targeted therapy, focuses on a specific variant of colorectal cancer.
Carrie received her diagnosis on September 1st last year during a medical investigation into discomfort stemming from a previous hernia mesh implant. The report noted that while dostarlimab is still undergoing clinical trials in various parts of the world, it has now become a standard treatment option for all eligible patients in Wales. Dostarlimab, a form of immunotherapy, aids in the immune system’s eradication of cancer cells. In addition to Wales, Italy has also approved dostarlimab as a standard treatment for this specific variant of colorectal cancer.
Speaking about her experience with Dr. Craig Barrington, Carrie Downey said, “He had checked my biopsies and knew I had this rare mutation. He said there had been trials, and he was confident he could get the funding because I met the criteria. He asked if I would like to go ahead with it.” Carrie chose to proceed and received dostarlimab infusions over a six-month period, with each IV session lasting approximately 30 minutes, according to the report. Midway through her treatment, scans indicated significant shrinkage of the tumor. The report added that “at the end of the course there was no evidence of the disease. Two subsequent scans have confirmed this.”
Carrie is now gearing up to return to work after her successful treatment. Another beneficiary of dostarlimab mentioned in the report is Janet Baker, a 73-year-old mother of two from Newport in Pembrokeshire. Janet was diagnosed in February and began dostarlimab treatment in April. “I had an MRI scan three months into the treatment and it was clear. The effect has been absolutely brilliant. For me, it truly has been a miracle drug,” she said.
