Andrea Cercek
Led the study in which every patient with mismatch-repair-deficient rectal cancer had a complete response to dostarlimab, without surgery or radiation.
Medical oncologist whose 2022 NEJM study of neoadjuvant dostarlimab in dMMR locally advanced rectal cancer produced a 100% clinical complete response rate, later extended to over 100 patients across dMMR solid tumours and now the basis of the AZUR-1 registrational programme. Co-directs MSK's young-onset colorectal cancer centre.
| Title | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| PD-1 blockade in mismatch repair-deficient, locally advanced rectal cancer | New England Journal of Medicine | 2022 |
| Nonoperative management of mismatch repair-deficient tumors | New England Journal of Medicine | 2025 |
Cercek's dostarlimab study is the clearest demonstration that immunotherapy can replace surgery in a solid tumour: patients with dMMR rectal cancer can keep their rectum and avoid the permanent effects of pelvic radiotherapy and surgery. Non-operative management after PD-1 blockade is now in guidelines for this group, and MMR testing before treatment of rectal cancer is essential. The approach applies only to the 5-10% of rectal cancers that are dMMR.
Patients with rectal cancer whose tumour is mismatch-repair deficient (about 5-10% of rectal cancers) can now be offered immunotherapy alone with the realistic expectation of avoiding surgery, radiotherapy and a permanent stoma. This requires mismatch repair testing on the diagnostic biopsy, close endoscopic and MRI surveillance, and treatment in an experienced centre. It does not apply to the 90% of rectal cancers that are mismatch-repair proficient.