Checkpoint Inhibitors Under Investigation in Upper GI and Gastric Cancers
Aiwu Ruth He, MD, discusses the current role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in upper gastrointestinal and gastric cancers and which patients are most likely to benefit from the anti–PD-1 agents.
Aiwu Ruth He, MD, an associate professor of Medicine at Georgetown-Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the current role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in upper gastrointestinal (GI) and gastric cancers and which patients are most likely to benefit from the antiPD-1 agents.
For patients with upper GI or gastric cancer, the single-agent antiPD-1 therapy nivolumab (Opdivo) is available in the chemotherapy-refractory setting. Patients need to have a combined positive score (CPS) greater than 1 to receive this therapy, He notes, as those patients tend to benefit from anti–PD-1 therapy.
Some clinical trials are also evaluating checkpoint inhibitors in the frontline andsecondlinesetting for patients with upper GI and gastric cancers. Initialdata
