Revision History

Mrinali Dhembla, a 26-year-old with stage 3 rectal cancer linked to Lynch syndrome, was declared cancer-free after just three infusions of nivolumab and ipilimumab — a dual-immunotherapy regimen that exploits her tumor's high mutation burden. While her case draws on a growing body of evidence showing extraordinary response rates for mismatch repair-deficient cancers, only about 15% of colorectal cancers carry that molecular signature, and the treatment's $250,000-plus annual cost raises sharp questions about who can actually access it as early-onset colorectal cancer rates climb nearly 3% per year among adults under 50.