Efficacy and safety of anti-programmed death-1 antibody-based combination therapy in advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer in Chinese patients: A real-world study

Abstract

Purpose: Programmed death-1 antibody plus chemotherapy has gained approval for the treatment for (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. This study aims to analyze the efficacy and safety of anti-programmed death-1 antibody combined with chemo- or anti-angiogenesis therapy in Chinese patients with advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer in a real-world setting. Methods: In total, 122 patients treated with anti-programmed death-1 antibody-based combination therapy between April 2019 and December 2021 were encompassed. Clinical outcomes and safety profile were measured and analyzed. Results: In the whole cohort, median overall survival was 17.2 months, median progression-free survival was 10.9 months, and median duration of response was 9.4 months. Notably, in the first-line patients, the median overall survival was not reached, median progression-free survival was 14.8 months, objective response rate was 68.4%. In the second-line group, median overall survival, median progression-free survival, median duration of response, and objective response rate were 10.9 months, 5.9 months, 4.5 months, and 41.5%, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events of any grade were observed in 28.2% of the overall cohort, primarily affecting the hematological and liver function. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were mainly characterized by increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, along with decreased lymphocyte and white blood cells, as well as anemia. Conclusions: Patients in our cohort experienced a clinical benefit from anti-programmed death-1 antibody-combined treatment in first-line treatment settings, with acceptable treatment-related adverse events. The benefit of anti-programmed death-1 antibody combined with chemo- or anti-angiogenesis treatment to the second-line patients should be further confirmed by large multi-center randomized, controlled clinical trials.