Treatment and Outcomes in Advanced Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma in the Pre-Immunotherapy Era Based on the Spanish AGAMENON-SEOM Registry

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-negative), locally advanced or metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (advanced G/GEJa) is associated with poor survival outcomes, and there is an unmet need for targeted therapy. This study, conducted in the pre-immunotherapy era, aimed to describe the characteristics and management, and compare the survival, of HER2-negative and HER2-positive patients initiating first-line (1L) treatment for advanced G/GEJa in Spain and estimate the number of HER2-negative patients eligible for 1L polychemotherapy. Methods: Patients from the AGAMENON-SEOM registry who initiated 1L polychemotherapy for advanced G/GEJa (2015-2019) in Spain were included. Results: In total, 1357 patients were included (951 [70.1%] HER2-negative; 315 [23.2%] HER2-positive; 91 [6.7%] unknown HER2 status). Most patients (56.3%) received one line of therapy; 27.6% received two lines; and 16.1% received three lines. Among HER2-positive patients, 92.7% received trastuzumab as part of 1L treatment. The use of FOLFOX and CAPOX increased over the study period (2015-2019). HER2-negative patients had significantly shorter progression-free survival (median, 5.92 months [95% CI, 5.59-6.38] vs. 7.37 months [95% CI, 6.55-8.29]; log-rank p < 0.0001) and overall survival (median, 10.49 months [95% CI, 9.74-11.05] vs. 13.82 months [95% CI, 12.30-14.74]; adjusted time ratio, 0.812 [95% CI, 0.722-0.913]; p = 0.0005) than HER2-positive patients. Per probabilistic sensitivity analyses, an estimated 2856 (95% CI, 1619-4134) Spanish patients with HER2-negative advanced G/GEJa were eligible for 1L polychemotherapy in 2024. Conclusions: The survival difference between HER2-positive and HER2-negative patients underscores the critical need for targeted therapies for HER2-negative patients in the 1L setting.