Targeted therapy for gastric cancer--current status.
In patients with metastatic gastric cancer, median overall survival remains under 1 year and standard chemotherapy regimens are not able to substantially improve the prognosis of the patients. Amplification and over-expression of HER2 is reported in approximately 20% of gastric tumours, challenging the use of targeted therapies. There are several targeted therapies in different stages of clinical development with trastuzumab being the first overcoming the regulatory hurdle and getting European Medicines Agency approval. In patients with advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer, addition of trastuzumab to chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone. Addition of trastuzumab to chemotherapy did not increase the incidence of adverse events. Other agents targeting the HER2 pathway (lapatinib) or other domains of epidermal growth factor receptor family (cetuximab) are currently being investigated for the treatment of an advanced gastric cancer.
Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
Jan
J
Kulig
Piotr
P
Kołodziejczyk
Piotr
P
Kulig
Janusz
J
Legutko
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000818:Animals; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000077341:Lapatinib; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D000077341:Lapatinib; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human