Trastuzumab significantly improves survival in resectable HER-2 positive gastric cancer: A retrospective study.

Abstract

Objective: Gastric cancer (GC), with a five-year survival rate of approximately 20%, frequently displays aggressive behavior when HER-2 is overexpressed. While trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2), has improved outcomes in advanced GC, its effect in resectable disease is less studied.

Material and methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent total gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection between 2016 and 2021. Among 180 patients, HER-2 status was determined for 97 cases. Of these, 20 HER-2 positive patients received trastuzumab-containing therapies. A control group of 40 HER-2 negative patients was randomly selected. Overall survival (OS) was compared between groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify prognostic factors.

Results: Sixty patients with a median follow-up of 29.5 months were analyzed. HER-2 positivity was associated with significantly improved OS (p=0.038). Univariate analyses revealed that HER-2 positivity (p=0.047), younger age (p=0.001), advanced tumor stage (p<0.001), and larger tumor size (p=0.010) were significantly related to OS. In the multivariate model, advanced tumor stage [hazard ratio (HR)=3.634, p=0.001] and younger age (HR=0.213, p<0.001) remained independent predictors of worse survival, while HER-2 positivity and tumor size lost their significance. Tumor subtype and location did not significantly influence OS.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that trastuzumab-containing treatment strategies can markedly improve survival in resectable HER-2 positive GC. Routine assessment of HER-2 status and integration of targeted therapies may enhance patient outcomes. In addition, advanced stage and younger age emerged as key prognostic factors.