Dr. Arkenau on Survival Data With TAS-102 in Gastric Cancer

Hendrik-Tobias Arkenau, MD, PhD, medical director, Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK, discusses survival data with TAS-102 (trifluridine/tipiracil; Lonsurf) in gastric cancer at the 2018 ESMO Congress.

TAGS is a phase III, randomized, double-blind study of TAS-102 versus placebo in patients with refractory metastatic gastric cancer. Arkenau reports that there is an overall survival benefit for TAS-102 plus best supportive care when compared with placebo plus best supportive care. Additionally, progression-free survival was superior with TAS-102 as well. Most of the patients on this study, Arkenau noted, had failed multiple prior lines of treatment before being given TAS-102.

Notably, although patients did not have a higher response rate compared with standard of care with best supportive care, they had better stable disease and disease control rate with TAS-102. This is highly significant, Arkenau says. Quality of life was also improved.

TAS-102 is currently approved for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have previously received fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biologic product, and an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, if RAS wild-type.