The results of a phase III clinical trial, conducted by the NRG Oncology RTOG, on the use of trimodality therapy in addition to trastuzumab for the treatment of HER2-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma. The trial was led by Dr. Lisa Kachnic, who explains that trimodality therapy consists of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, and has been shown to improve survival rates in other types of cancers.
The trial enrolled 257 patients with HER2-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma and randomized them to receive either trimodality therapy plus trastuzumab or trimodality therapy alone. The primary endpoint of the study was overall survival, with secondary endpoints including progression-free survival, response rates, and toxicity.
The results showed that the addition of trastuzumab to trimodality therapy significantly improved overall survival, with a median survival of 43 months compared to 29 months in the trimodality therapy alone group. The addition of trastuzumab also improved progression-free survival and response rates, with no significant increase in toxicity.
Dr. Kachnic notes that these results are particularly important as HER2-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma is a rare and aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. The trial provides evidence for the use of trimodality therapy with trastuzumab as a potentially effective treatment option for these patients.
In conclusion, the phase III clinical trial conducted by the NRG Oncology RTOG, led by Dr. Lisa Kachnic, demonstrated that the addition of trastuzumab to trimodality therapy significantly improved overall survival in patients with HER2-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma. These results provide evidence for the use of trimodality therapy with trastuzumab as a potentially effective treatment option for this rare and aggressive cancer.