Breakthrough in Gastric Cancer Treatment: New Immunotherapies and Molecular Targets Boost Survival Rates
July 29, 2024
Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant global health challenge, characterized by high prevalence and mortality rates that are projected to worsen in the coming years.
Metastatic gastric cancer poses considerable clinical challenges due to limited treatment options and poor prognosis, with most cases diagnosed at advanced stages.
For early-stage gastric cancer, curative treatment typically involves surgery followed by chemotherapy; however, recurrence rates remain high.
The current standard of care for advanced gastric cancer includes combination chemotherapy and immunotherapy, achieving a one-year overall survival rate of 55%.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly improved survival outcomes in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancer (GEC) while presenting a lower incidence of severe adverse events compared to traditional chemotherapy.
Recent studies indicate that ICIs, whether used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, enhance health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with advanced GEC compared to chemotherapy alone.
The use of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors has shown promise, particularly in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors, leading to improved response rates and overall survival.
Molecular targets such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), microsatellite instability (MSI), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are crucial for guiding therapy decisions.
The anti-HER2 antibody trastuzumab has been established as a standard first-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer, significantly improving overall survival.
Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs), particularly FGFR2, have emerged as promising targets for gastric cancer treatment due to their overexpression, especially in diffuse-type GC.
FGFR2-targeted agents are currently being tested as monotherapies or in combination with standard-of-care treatments to enhance clinical outcomes.
Recent advancements in identifying molecular targets and utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors alongside chemotherapy have transformed the treatment landscape for metastatic gastric cancer.
Summary based on 3 sources