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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Andrew Gregory Health editor in Chicago

Drug that ‘melts away’ tumours hailed as ‘gamechanger’ for some bowel cancer patients

A pembrolizumab monoclonal antibody drug protein
‘In the future, immunotherapy may even replace the need for surgery,’ said Prof Mark Saunders. Photograph: molekuul.be/Alamy stock photo

A “gamechanger” immunotherapy drug that “melts away” tumours dramatically increases the chances of curing some bowel cancers and may even replace the need for surgery, doctors have said.

Pembrolizumab targets and blocks a specific protein on the surface of immune cells that then seek out and destroy cancer cells.

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