Colorectal cancer: Gary Middleton interview with Laura

Following a change in bowel habits, Laura was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer after a colonoscopy. She underwent surgery to remove the tumour, but subsequent tests confirmed the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. After receiving chemotherapy, which itself induced significant side effects including neuropathy, a scan revealed her cancer had progressed to Stage 4 and spread to her neck. Following tests confirming her cancer displayed microsatellite instability (MSI-hi), she received the immune checkpoint blockade antibody Pembrolizumab. Initially treatment was well tolerated and appeared to be shrinking the tumour, but after 1 year of the planned 2 year treatment course, she developed a cough, which a subsequent CT scan confirmed was pneumonitis (Grade 2), a very serious and life-threatening potential immune-related side effect of checkpoint blockade. Her treatment was stopped and she was given steroids, which resolved the pneumonitis. She is currently cancer free.

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