Experimental Therapy Extends Cancer Patients’ Lives by 40% in Clinical Trial

A cutting-edge treatment aimed at combating some of the most aggressive forms of stomach cancer has shown encouraging results in a phase 2 clinical trial, offering significant tumor reduction and extended survival times.

Harnessing the Body’s Own Defenses

The approach uses a type of CAR T cell immunotherapy, in which a patient’s own immune cells are collected, genetically modified to better recognize and attack cancer, and then reintroduced into the body.

Known as satricabtagene autoleucel, or satri-cel, this particular therapy targets a tumor-associated protein called CLDN18.2, which some cancers use to grow. In the study, patients receiving satri-cel lived, on average, 40% longer than those on conventional treatments.

Researchers across multiple institutions in China found additional benefits: those treated with satri-cel experienced greater tumor shrinkage and slower disease progression compared to patients who received standard therapies.

A Lifeline for Late-Stage Patients

The trial included 156 patients with either gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction cancer, all of whom had already tried and failed at least two prior treatments—making them individuals with very limited remaining options.

“In patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer who have exhausted most available treatments and face poor outcomes, satri-cel has delivered remarkable clinical results,” said oncologist Lin Shen of Beijing Cancer Hospital. “We observed significant improvements in progression-free survival, overall survival, and tumor response.”

Patients treated with satri-cel had a median survival of 7.92 months, compared to 5.49 months in the control group. Additionally, 22% of satri-cel recipients showed substantial tumor reduction, compared to only 4% in the group receiving standard care.

The time before cancer progressed was also extended: 3.25 months on average for satri-cel patients versus 1.77 months for others—clear indications that the therapy has strong potential.

“This offers a new sense of hope to patients who previously had no viable treatment options,” Shen added.

Managing Side Effects

That said, the treatment isn’t without drawbacks. Nearly all participants receiving satri-cel experienced serious side effects, particularly reductions in blood cell counts. However, researchers noted that these effects were generally manageable.

CAR T cell therapy has already shown success in treating blood cancers, and promising results are now emerging for solid tumors—including brain and pancreatic cancers. Based on this trial, gastrointestinal cancers may soon join that list.

These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that cancer therapies are becoming more precise and more effective, especially when targeting solid tumors. In recent years, scientists have discovered new ways not only to eliminate cancer cells but, in some cases, to revert them to healthy states.

It’s important to note, though, that this is not yet a cure. Instead, the treatment enhances the immune system’s ability to control and slow down the growth of cancer.

We’re now investigating satri-cel’s use earlier in the treatment process, including as an adjuvant and in first-line therapies,” said Shen. “Our goal is to intervene sooner, extend patient survival, and ultimately work toward a cure.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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