Triple threat: immunotherapy and targeted drug join chemo to fight HER2+ gut cancers

NCT ID NCT06123338

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This phase 2 study is testing whether adding two newer drugs—pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy) and trastuzumab (a targeted therapy)—to standard chemotherapy can help people with HER2-positive esophageal or stomach cancer that can be surgically removed. About 49 adults will receive the combination before surgery, and researchers will track how long they stay cancer-free. The goal is to see if this approach works better than chemo alone at preventing the cancer from coming back.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) and trastuzumab (targeted therapy) plus chemotherapy
What this could lead to: If it works, this combination could improve the chance of keeping HER2+ esophageal or stomach cancer from coming back after surgery.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase study (49 people) with no control group, so results may not be definitive. Adding immunotherapy and targeted drugs to chemo can increase side effects like immune reactions or heart problems.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

esophageal cancer Esophageal Neoplasms gastric adenocarcinoma gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ESOPHAGEAL CANCER GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA HER2 GENE MUTATION

Contacts and locations

Locations

MD Anderson Cancer Center (Data Collection Only)
RECRUITING

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital (Data Collection Only)
RECRUITING

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Basking Ridge, New Jersey, 07920, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Montvale, New Jersey, 07645, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10065, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Middletown, New Jersey, 07748, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Uniondale, New York, 11553, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Suffolk-Commack (Limited protocol activity)
RECRUITING

Commack, New York, 11725, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Harrison, New York, 10604, United States
University of Pennsylvania (Data Collection Only)
RECRUITING

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

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