The medicine, which was administered every three weeks during the period, was initially developed to treat endometrial cancer and is a type of immunotherapy. AFP
The medicine, which was administered every three weeks during the period, was initially developed to treat endometrial cancer and is a type of immunotherapy. AFP
The medicine, which was administered every three weeks during the period, was initially developed to treat endometrial cancer and is a type of immunotherapy. AFP
The medicine, which was administered every three weeks during the period, was initially developed to treat endometrial cancer and is a type of immunotherapy. AFP

Health

Small scale cancer drug trial cured 100% of patients

All 12 people who received dostarlimab, a lab-made antibody, entered remission from locally advanced rectal cancer

Gillian Duncan
Gillian Duncan

June 08, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

An experimental cancer drug appears to have cured every single patient taking part in a small trial conducted in the US.

All 12 people who received dostarlimab, a lab-made antibody, entered remission from locally advanced rectal cancer after taking the drug regularly over a six-month period.

Doctors in the US had initially planned to follow up the treatment with chemotherapy and surgery, which could have resulted in significant dysfunction, with some patients left needing colostomy bags — but it was not necessary.

By the end of the six-month course, the cancer had vanished in all patients, becoming untraceable by physical exam, endoscopy, PET and MRI scans, and none developed significant complications.

“At the time of this report, no patients had received chemoradiotherapy or undergone surgery, and no cases of progression or recurrence had been reported during follow-up [of between six to 25 months since treatment],” said the study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The authors said although the study was small, the results are “cause for great optimism”.

“I believe this is the first time this has happened in the history of cancer,” medical oncologist Luis Diaz Jr of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, which carried out the trial, told The New York Times.

Alan P Venook, a colorectal cancer specialist at the University of California, told the paper the complete remission in every single patient was “unheard of”.

How it works

The medicine, which was administered every three weeks during the period, was initially developed to treat endometrial cancer and is a type of immunotherapy.

The drug works by attaching to a protein on the surface of cancer cells known as PD-1, helping the immune system to recognise and attack the cancer.

In this way, it uses the immune system to help fight the cancer.

Monoclonal antibodies such as dostarlimab are one type of immunotherapy. Others include checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, cytokines and CAR-T cell therapy.

Medhat Faris, consultant medical oncologist at International Modern Hospital, Dubai, said immunotherapy treatment can boost or change how the immune system works so it can find and attack cancer cells.

“It uses substances made by the body or in a laboratory to boost the immune system and help the body find and destroy cancer cells,” he said.

“Immunotherapy can treat many different types of cancer. It can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy.”

Need to wait

But Ananth Pai, medical director and specialist general surgeon at NMC Royal Hospital DIP, Dubai, said more time was needed to fully assess the drug's efficacy.

“This recent trial started a few months ago in double-digit cases. We need to wait for at least two years to see the full response in terms of the chances of a relapse,” he said.

“Moreover, the results are encouraging as the trials focused on mutated cancers — which are around 10 per cent. Hence we need to wait for an elaborate response to evolve for a longer period of say two years or more.”

Dr Faris echoed that sentiment, saying: “While recently published results are impressive and promising, they would need to be replicated and expanded in larger population in multicentres. It is not clear if the medication in question would be useful beyond this specific application [rectal cancer].”

Dr Pai added that “the therapy under discussion is a kind of targeted therapy and is a little expensive for a common man to afford”.

“Once the viability in terms of cost, efficacy in terms of avoiding relapse and efficiency in terms of treating larger groups of cancers and ethnicities is established, this surely would be a boon to humanity and medical practice.”

Freezer tips

  • Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
  • If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
  • Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
  • The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Game Of Thrones Season Seven: A Bluffers Guide

Want to sound on message about the biggest show on television without actually watching it? Best not to get locked into the labyrinthine tales of revenge and royalty: as Isaac Hempstead Wright put it, all you really need to know from now on is that there’s going to be a huge fight between humans and the armies of undead White Walkers.

The season ended with a dragon captured by the Night King blowing apart the huge wall of ice that separates the human world from its less appealing counterpart. Not that some of the humans in Westeros have been particularly appealing, either.

Anyway, the White Walkers are now free to cause any kind of havoc they wish, and as Liam Cunningham told us: “Westeros may be zombie land after the Night King has finished.” If the various human factions don’t put aside their differences in season 8, we could be looking at The Walking Dead: The Medieval Years. 

 

If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).

UAE currency
UAE currency
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

UK%20record%20temperature
%3Cp%3E38.7C%20(101.7F)%20set%20in%20Cambridge%20in%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Who is Allegra Stratton?

 

  • Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
  • Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
  • In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
  • The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
  • Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
  • She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
  • Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

Results

6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m 

Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer) 

6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m 

Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor 

7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m 

Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer 

7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m 

Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor 

8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m 

Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby 

8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m 

Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons 

9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m 

Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor  

RACECARD

6pm Emaar Dubai Sprint – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m

6.35pm Graduate Stakes – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.10pm Al Khail Trophy – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 2,810m

7.45pm UAE 1000 Guineas – Listed (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m

8.20pm Zabeel Turf – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 2,000m

8.55pm Downtown Dubai Cup – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 1,400m

9.30pm Zabeel Mile – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,600m

10.05pm Dubai Sprint – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

European arms

Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons.  Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: June 08, 2022, 3:27 PM`