Dr. Mehta on TAS-102/Ramucirumab Combo Trial in Gastric/GEJ Cancer

Rutika Mehta, MD, MPH, a gastrointestinal medical oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses a phase II trial that will combine ramucirumab (Cyramza) with TAS-102 in patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer.

Patients who are eligible for this trial have progressed on a prior fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based doublet in the frontline setting, explains Mehta. These patients should have received at least 1 prior line of treatment, but not prior ramucirumab or TAS-102 therapy. Patients who are at high risk for bleed or have an arterial clot are not eligible, says Mehta.

The dosing for this trial is the standard dosing that was approved individually for ramucirumab and TAS-102. The most common adverse event with TAS-102 is neutropenia and toxicities related to ramucirumab include bleeding risk and additional bone marrow suppression with the combination, concludes Mehta.