BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Gastric cancer carries a poor prognosis despite advances in treatment. Despite curative-intent surgery, the risk of recurrence is high. Perioperative treatment may improve rates of complete surgical resection and reduce the rate of recurrence. Treatment practices vary worldwide, while perioperative treatment is considered standard-of-care practice in Western countries, upfront surgery followed by adjuvant therapy is preferred in Asian countries. The current literature is complex to navigate with a plethora of studies available for review. The aim of this review is to summarise current evidence regarding the role of perioperative treatment in resectable gastric cancer and to explore future directions in research.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed database for peer-reviewed original articles from phase III trials, published between 2002 to 2021 with regard to the treatment of resectable gastric cancer. Current active clinical trials regarding the use of targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in perioperative and adjuvant therapy were identified using the ClinicalTrials.gov database from the US National Library of Medicine.

KEY CONTENT AND FINDINGS

Compared to surgery alone, the use of perioperative chemotherapy prior to resection of gastric cancer and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy after upfront surgery both improve survival in those with resectable gastric cancer. However, treatment practices vary worldwide. In clinical practice, patient factors such as functional status should be considered when considering treatment approach. Many current clinical trials explore the role of targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the perioperative setting, which appear to be promising.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastric cancer continues to carry a poor prognosis. The addition of targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the perioperative setting appear to be promising although further research is required in this area to assess efficacy. Further clinical research is required to identify new agents and approaches to treatment to improve the survival of these patients.