Immunotherapy combo shows promise for Hard-to-Treat stomach cancers
NCT ID NCT03257163
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase II trial is testing whether giving the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab before standard chemotherapy and radiation can help prevent stomach cancer from coming back. It includes 40 people with operable stomach cancer that has either a specific DNA repair problem (mismatch repair deficiency) or is linked to the Epstein-Barr virus. The study compares the three-year cancer-free survival rate to a historical benchmark of 45%.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Pembrolizumab (a drug that helps the immune system fight cancer), capecitabine (chemotherapy), and radiation therapy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could improve the chance of staying cancer-free after treatment for people with certain types of gastric cancer.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 40 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment involves strong drugs and radiation, which can cause serious side effects.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, 30308, United States
-
Montefiore Medical Center
The Bronx, New York, 10467, United States
-
RWJBarnabas Health - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton
Hamilton, New Jersey, 08690, United States
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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can AI-Guided home training boost recovery from gastric cancer surgery?
- Can a new drug combo shrink Hard-to-Treat tumors?
- Can immunotherapy outperform chemo after stomach cancer surgery?
- Could a smartphone program supervised by AI boost recovery after stomach cancer surgery?
- Can stomach cancer surgery also tame diabetes?
- Can a modified stomach bypass speed up recovery in advanced gastric cancer?