Nigerian medical practitioners have launched Nigeria’s first immunotherapy clinical trial for colorectal cancer, offering new hope to patients battling advanced stages of the disease.
The Phase II study, titled “PD-1 Blockade in Mismatch-Repair Deficient Colorectal Cancer in Nigeria,” will provide free treatment to eligible patients.
The initiative is a collaboration between Medserve, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in the United States.
According to the World Health Organization, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer globally and the second leading cause of cancer deaths.
In Nigeria, fewer than half of patients survive beyond one year after diagnosis.
Researchers say nearly 30% of Nigerian patients carry a genetic profile known as mismatch-repair deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), which makes tumours resistant to chemotherapy but highly responsive to immunotherapy.
New Approach to Cancer Treatment
The trial will evaluate tislelizumab, a drug that blocks the PD-1 protein used by cancer cells to evade the immune system.
Prof. Fatimah Abdulkareem, co-Principal Investigator, said, “Currently, their only real option is chemotherapy, which often doesn’t work for them. There is an urgent need for innovative, evidence-based treatment.”
Prof. Olusegun Alatise of OAU described the initiative as a milestone in cancer research.
Dr. Eben Aje of LUTH explained that the study will enrol patients aged 18 and above with Stage II and Stage III rectal cancer, who will receive tislelizumab intravenously every four weeks for two years, followed by monitoring.
Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, LUTH Chief Medical Director, said the centre is fully equipped for the trial, noting it is the hospital’s first involving immunotherapy.
Dr. Peter Kingham of MSKCC added that the collaboration will help build a sustainable model of patient-centered cancer care in Nigeria.
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