New targets and strategies in treatment of metastatic gastric cancer.

Introduction: Gastric cancer is a common type of cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Unfortunately, the number of cases has been rising in recent years. Since this cancer often does not show symptoms in its early stages, most people are diagnosed when the disease is already advanced (stage 3 or 4). At this stage, survival rates are low, with most patients living about 12 months on average.

Treatment options: For advanced gastric cancer, the most commonly used treatments are chemotherapy combinations that include oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidine. Another option is irinotecan, which can be used instead of oxaliplatin. However, older drugs like anthracyclines and docetaxel are no longer widely used. A newer combination of oxaliplatin, fluoropyrimidine, leucovorin, and docetaxel has fewer side effects compared to older treatments.

Recent advances: In recent years, researchers have discovered new ways to target gastric cancer. These include therapies that combine antibodies with drugs, therapies that use multiple antibodies, and immunotherapies that help the immune system fight cancer. These new treatments, when added to chemotherapy, offer hope for improving survival rates in people with advanced gastric cancer.