Gastric cancer, more commonly known as stomach cancer, generally begins in the stomach or the part where the esophagus meets the stomach. As per observations, it has been found that most stomach cancers are less likely to be cured if they are at an advanced stage. But here is where KEYTRUDA® comes in. KEYTRUDA® is an immunotherapy prescription that helps the immune system fight cancer cells. Here is how it can help fight gastric cancer.

How does KEYTRUDA® work?
To understand how KEYTRUDA® works, one must first know how cancer cells evade the immune system. The immune system works constantly to find any infections and diseases in the body. Likewise, it also keeps searching for cancer cells to fight them. However, cancer cells have a defense mechanism against the system, which allows them to hide in a place called the PD1 pathway. Due to this, the T cells of the immune system can not find the cancer cells. KEYTRUDA® blocks this PD1 pathway so cancer cells cannot hide from the T cells, and the immune system can fight them.

How does it help fight gastric cancer?
To fight gastric cancer, a doctor may prescribe KEYTRUDA® in combination with other treatment options. KEYTRUDA® may generally be prescribed for gastric cancer when the following conditions are noted:

When gastric cancer is HER2-negative: HER2 is a type of protein that promotes cell growth. If cancer cells produce high amounts of HER2, it may allow them to grow and spread to other parts of the body. So, if the cancer cells are not producing this protein in high amounts, they are HER2-negative. In such cases, KEYTRUDA® can be prescribed.

When the gastric cancer cannot be removed by surgery: KEYTRUDA® may be prescribed if the gastric cancer has spread or cannot be surgically removed.

Clinical trial results of KEYTRUDA® for gastric cancer
A few clinical trials were conducted to understand the effectiveness of KEYTRUDA® for gastric cancer. In these trials, some individuals with gastric cancer were given KEYTRUDA® along with chemotherapy, and other individuals were given only chemotherapy as a treatment. The following results were noted:

It was found that the combination of KEYTRUDA® and chemotherapy reduced the risk of the spread and growth of the cancer in 24% of the people. Whereas only chemotherapy, without KEYTRUDA®, reduced the risks in 16% of the people.

Secondly, the combination of KEYTRUDA® and chemotherapy managed to shrink the tumors in 51% of the people, whereas only chemotherapy managed to see them shrink in 42%.

KEYTRUDA® is an FDA-approved treatment option prescribed and noted to work in combination with other treatment options. Individuals can ask their doctors and healthcare providers about this treatment approach. The doctors may conduct a few tests to determine if KEYTRUDA® can be prescribed. For instance, for gastric cancer, it is important to be HER2-negative for KEYTRUDA® to be prescribed.