Trastuzumab for gastric cancer
Judith Meza-Junco1, Heather-Jane Au, Michael B Sawyer
1Cross Cancer Institute, Medical Oncology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, improves survival by nearly 3 months for advanced gastric cancer patients with HER2-positive tumors when combined with chemotherapy. Further research is needed for its role in other settings.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Gastric cancer management varies globally, with surgery as the primary treatment for non-metastatic disease.
- Recurrence rates post-curative resection are high, necessitating perioperative or adjuvant therapies.
- Advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, common in clinical practice, has a poor prognosis despite systemic chemotherapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current chemotherapy and targeted therapies for gastric cancer.
- To examine the chemical and pharmacological properties of trastuzumab.
- To evaluate the clinical evidence supporting trastuzumab's use in gastric cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive review of pertinent scientific literature.
Main Results:
- Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER-2) is overexpressed or amplified in about 22% of gastric cancer cases.
- Trastuzumab, a targeted therapy, demonstrated a significant survival benefit, reducing the risk of death by 26%.
Conclusions:
- Trastuzumab, in combination with chemotherapy, is a viable treatment option for advanced HER2-positive gastric cancer, improving survival.
- Further investigation is required to determine trastuzumab's efficacy in curative settings, as monotherapy, maintenance therapy, and second-line palliative treatment.
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