Atezolizumab and Trastuzumab Plus Chemotherapy for ERBB2-Positive Locally Advanced Resectable Gastric Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Importance: Effective treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer remains a challenge.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab plus trastuzumab plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin chemotherapy (XELOX) vs trastuzumab plus XELOX in Chinese patients with locally advanced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ERBB2; formerly HER2)-positive GC or adenocarcinoma of the GEJ.

Design, setting, and participants: This was an open-label phase 2 randomized clinical trial conducted at 8 study sites in China. Patient recruitment started on February 25, 2021, and this study is ongoing as participants are still being actively followed up. Chinese patients eligible for surgery with locally advanced ERBB2-positive GC or adenocarcinoma of the GEJ were included. Data were analyzed from March 2021 to October 2023.

Interventions: Eligible patients were enrolled and randomly assigned 1:1 to perioperative treatment with either atezolizumab plus trastuzumab plus XELOX (arm A) or trastuzumab plus XELOX (arm B) for 3 neoadjuvant cycles (3 weeks per cycle) and 5 adjuvant cycles.

Main outcomes and measures: The primary efficacy end point was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate following completion of neoadjuvant therapy and surgery.

Results: In total, 42 patients were screened and randomly assigned to arm A (n = 21) or arm B (n = 21). The median (range) ages were 61 (33-72) years and 65 (49-72) years in arm A and arm B, respectively, and 39 patients (93%) were male. The pCR rate was significantly higher in arm A (8 [38%]) than arm B (3 [14%]; difference, 23.8%; 90% CI, 1.3-44.7). Age younger than 65 years, male sex, and intestinal Lauren classification were significantly associated with a better pCR rate in arm A. Median event-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival were not reached. Based on the same way of interpretation, major pathologic response should be statistically significantly different between the 2 arms, while other outcome measures remained not significantly different. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events was 100% (21 of 21) and 100% (21 of 21) in arms A and B, respectively; grade 3 or higher TEAEs, 57% (12 of 21) and 67% (14 of 21), respectively; and serious TEAEs, 29% (6 of 21) and 10% (2 of 21), respectively.

Conclusions and relevance: In this randomized clinical trial, add-on atezolizumab to trastuzumab plus XELOX therapy demonstrated promising efficacy in this patient population, and no new safety concerns were raised.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04661150.

Figure.. CONSORT Diagram

ITT indicates intention to treat; NAST, neoadjuvant systemic therapy; pCR, pathological complete response; XELOX, capecitabine and oxaliplatin chemotherapy. ^aIn total, 20 patients in arm A and 19 in arm B underwent surgery.