Studies of checkpoint inhibitors are just beginnig to be performed in gastric cancer. NO-4538-12 is a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating nivolumab’s efficacy and safety in later line patients, and OS was improved; however, the results are not applicable to first line treatment, and the full paper had not yet been published. ONO-4538-12 (NCT02267343) is a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, evaluating the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in patients with unresectable, previously treated, advanced or recurrent gastric cancer, including gastroesophageal junction cancer, refractory to or intolerant of standard therapy.

Yoon-Koo Kang, Taroh Satoh, Min-Hee Ryu, Yee Chao, Ken Kato, Hyun Cheol Chung, Jen-Shi Chen, Kei Muro, Won Ki Kang, Takaki Yoshikawa, Sang Cheul Oh, Takao Tamura, Keun-Wook Lee, Narikazu Boku, Li-Tzong Chen, Nivolumab (ONO-4538/BMS-936558) as salvage treatment after second or later-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric or gastro-esophageal junction cancer (AGC): A double-blinded, randomized, phase III trial. Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (GICS) 2017. Abstract 2. Presented January 19, 2017.

NCCN, Gastric Cancer 2017