Stomach Cancer Awareness Month: 2021 Immunotherapy Research Updates

There has been tremendous progress in immunotherapies for stomach cancer this year.

• On March 22, the FDA approved pembrolizumab in combination with  chemotherapy for a subset of patients with metastatic or locally advanced esophageal or gastroesophageal cancer.
• On April 16, the FDA approved nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy for patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma, regardless of PD-L1 expression status. This is the first FDA-approved immunotherapy for the first-line treatment of gastric cancer.
• On May 5, the FDA approved pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy for a subset of patients with HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

This November for Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, let’s look at the latest treatments, research insights, and we're working toward a future immune to stomach cancer.

Your Immunotherapy Questions Answered

Cancer patients and leading oncologists joined a liverly discussion across 14 informative sessions at the 2021 Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit on October 7–8, 2021. Learn about the immunotherapy treatment experience and gain valuable insight into how clinical trials work.

Watch the virtual summit recordings

Stomach Cancer Scientist Spotlight

CRI Fellow Valerie Phoebe O'Brien, PhD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is examining the behavior ofHelicobacter pylori (Hp), a bacteria associated with stomach cancer, during the progression of stomach inflammation as well as host inflammatory responses to infection. Her findings may unveil potential drug targets to treat or prevent tumor development.

Learn about Dr. O’Brien’s Stomach Cancer Research

Immunotherapy for Stomach Cancer Info Update

The United States isn't the only country approving new treatments for gastric cancer. The European Commission approved pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy as well as nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy for a subsets of patients with gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. As the research and treatment landscape evolves, we keep our information up to date.

View Stomach Cancer Update

Find a Stomach Cancer Clinical Trial

A variety of new and promising cancer immunotherapy treatments are only available to patients in clinical trials. Help speed the development of potentially lifesaving drugs. Discover trials for which you or a loved one may be eligible with the CRI Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Finder.

Find a Cancer Clinical Trial

Support Stomach Cancer Research

The American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recognized "Molecular Profiling Drives Progress in Gastrointestinal Cancers" as the 2021 Advance of the Year. New advances in technology have allowed researchers and physicians to identify biomarkers to guide and monitor cancer treatment, including when immunotherapy may be an effective option. As research progresses and new biomarkers and targets are identified, the future looks even brighter for people with gastrointestinal cancers, which  account for more than a quarter of cancer cases globally. This Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, support lifesaving cancer immunotherapy research. 

Donate to Stomach Cancer Research