Scientists have discovered a rare gene in the tumors of some colorectal cancer patients which could lead to more accurate diagnoses.

In every case, the rectal cancer disappeared after immunotherapy — without the need for the standard treatments of radiation or surgery.

Cancer patients rarely die from the primary tumor but rather from the metastases – even after successful tumor surgery.

The MSK clinical trial was investigating — for the first time ever — if immunotherapy alone could beat rectal cancer that had not spread.