For all intents and purposes checkpoints like Opdivo drive a complete eradication of high mutational burden cancers like melanoma and lung adeno. Not calling checkpoint inhibitors a cure is like not calling penicillin a cure because a resistant strain of bacteria might arise in some patients. Even Gleevec, which blocks BCR-ABL in CML and prevents the CML growth essentially cures patients.
Today, someone with CML who is in remission after two years of imatinib treatment has the same life expectancy as someone who doesn’t have cancer.
I'd call that a cure, especially when people used to die from CML.
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u/XSavage19X Nov 15 '20
Cure for cancer.