New findings led by Yale Cancer Center researchers show data sharing improved survival for patients with advanced gastric cancers. The data will be presented on May 30 at 11:00 a.m., during the virtual Scientific Program at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The KEYNOTE-061 phase III trial compared pembrolizumab versus paclitaxel as second-line therapy for previously treated patients with PD-L1–positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. Patients with these types of cancers that progress on chemotherapy have historically poor outcomes.
Updated data from the KEYNOTE-061 study, led by Charles S. Fuchs, M.D., M.P.H., Director of YCC and Physician-in-Chief of Smilow Cancer Hospital, shows second-line pembrolizumab showed a trend toward prolonged OS among patients with PD-L1–positive gastric cancer, although the result did not reach statistical significance. Of note, the benefit associated with pembrolizumab appeared to increase with increasing levels of PD-L1 expression in tumors. Moreover, pembrolizumab led to fewer treatment-related adverse events versus paclitaxel.
“The long-term data from KEYNOTE-061 provides an important signal regarding the benefit for immunotherapy as a treatment option for our patients with advanced gastric cancers, who have had limited options,” Dr. Fuchs said.
The primary endpoint for this follow-up study was OS and progression-free survival (PFS) in the CPS ≥1 population. In patients with CPS ≥5 and CPS ≥10, median survival was 10.4 months, versus 8.3 and 8.0 months with paclitaxel, respectively. This trend towards a numerically prolonged OS when compared to paclitaxel, suggests a potential benefit of pembrolizumab over paclitaxel for the treatment of these patients.
The study was funded by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., and included investigators from around the world.