Abstract

We report a 49-year-old Chinese male with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma achieving pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab-containing regimen. He underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy in September 2009, which revealed a 2-cm gastric ulcer on the lesser curvature proximal to angularis. Biopsy of gastric ulcer showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Further workups with endoscopic ultrasound, computed tomography and positron emission tomography staged his cancer as T3N1M0. He received 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of trastuzumab, oxaliplatin, docetaxel and capecitabine without severe toxicities except grade 2 diarrhea near the completion of cycle 3 requiring discontinuation of capecitabine. Afterwards, he received total gastrectomy with extended D2 lymph node dissections showing pathological complete response. He went on to receive 3 more cycles of chemotherapy postoperatively. The role of trastuzumab as a part of perioperative therapy in gastric cancer overexpressing HER2 is worth further investigation.

Highlights

  • Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, with overall 5-year survival rate of approximate 20%, representing a significant challenge for the treating physicians [1]

  • We describe a case of pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab-containing regimen in gastric cancer

  • human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression due to gene amplification in gastric cancer has led to aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis [8]

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, with overall 5-year survival rate of approximate 20%, representing a significant challenge for the treating physicians [1]. Response to neoadjuvant treatment is the most important predictor of survival after curative resection of gastric cancer [3,4,5] In this case report, we describe a case of pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab-containing regimen in gastric cancer. There were no tumor identified in 44 perigastric lymph nodes and 2 lymph nodes from porta hepatis He recovered uneventfully after surgery, and received 3 more cycles of chemotherapy with the same regimen with dose reduction on docetaxel and capecitabine due to gastrointestinal toxicities.

Discussion
17. Ajani JA
Findings
21. Chien KR

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.