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. 2013 Mar;5(2):143-51.
doi: 10.1177/1758834012469429.

Gastric cancer and trastuzumab: first biologic therapy in gastric cancer

Krishna S Gunturu  1 , Yanghee Woo, Nike Beaubier, Helen E Remotti, M Wasif Saif
Affiliations

Gastric cancer and trastuzumab: first biologic therapy in gastric cancer

Krishna S Gunturu et al. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2013 Mar.

Abstract

Gastric cancer remains difficult to cure and has a poor overall prognosis. Chemotherapy and multimodality therapy has shown some benefit in the treatment of gastric cancer. Current therapies for gastric cancer have their limitations; thus, we are in need of newer treatment options including targeted therapies. Here, we review the biologic therapy with trastuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ gastric cancer.

Keywords: gastric cancer; trastuzumab.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in preparing this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
ToGA trial design (Bang et al. 2010). GC, gastric cancer; GEJC, gastroesophageal junction cancer; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; 5-FU, 5-fluorouracil.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Heterogeneity of HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). (A) HER2 IHC showing heterogeneity of staining in an esophageal adenocarcinoma. The most intense staining in this case (3+), with surrounding region showing 2+ staining. (B) HER2-FISH results correlate with HER2-IHC results. In the areas in which there was 3+ IHC staining, there is significant amplification of HER2; ratio of HER2:CEP17 > 6.0. (C) In the areas that showed HER2 2+ IHC staining aneuploidy was noted, with low level or no amplification.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Consensus panel recommendations on HER-2 scoring for gastric/esophageal cancer [Hofmann et al. 2008, Ruschoff et al. 2010]. See the text for details.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Trastuzumab treatment algorithm in HER2 overexpressing gastric cancers. FISH, fluorescent in situ hybridization; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; IHC, immunohistochemistry.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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