Trastuzumab Fails as Adjuvant Therapy in Esophageal Cancer

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel followed by surgery is the standard treatment for locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma. Targeting HER2-positive advanced esophagogastric adenocarcinoma with trastuzumab in the first- and second- or later-line settings has shown success, and a number of other promising agents are in development.

Investigators report an industry-supported, open-label, randomized, phase 3 trial evaluating the addition of trastuzumab to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with HER2-positive esophageal or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Patients with clinical T2–3 N0–1 disease testing positive for HER2 by immunohistochemistry or fluorescence in-situ hybridization were randomized…