News in the systemic treatment of esophageal tumors

03/2021

Doc. MUDr. David Vrána, Ph.D.

Komplexní onkologické centrum, Nemocnice Nový Jičín

SUMMARY

Immunotherapy found its firm role in the treatment of several tumor types. Based on the recently pub- lished clinical trials immunotherapy got into treatment algorithm of esophageal and gastroesophageal cancer in the first line and also in later treatment lines. Predictive markers, which play a role in the treatment selection are programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), deficient mismatch repair genes and high microsatellite instability (dMMR/MSI-H) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression. Targeted therapy with trastuzumab, ramucirumab or therapy with trifluridine/tipiracil remains the treatment of choice in the case of gastroesophageal cancer. Unfortunately, the reimbursement by the health care insurance is missing so far for any immunotherapy molecule. Bellow mentioned text aims to summarize current data for immunotherapy, targeted therapy in the treatment of the esophageal and gastroesophageal cancer regardless of the insurance reimbursement.

Key words

immunotherapy, trastuzumab, ramucirumab, trifluridine/tipiracil, PD-L1, dMMR/MSI-H, HER2