Dr. Karasic on Palbociclib in Esophageal and Gastric Cancer

Thomas Karasic, MD, investigator at Penn Medicine, discusses the rationale behind the phase II trial (NCT01037790) of palbociclib (Ibrance) in patients with advanced esophageal or gastric cancer.

This phase II trial investigated multiple different cancer types. Gastric and esophageal cancer were included in this study since there is a high incidence of aberrations of the CDK pathway in this group, explains Karasic. There was virtually no Rb mutations or resistance mutations to palbociclib.

According to Karasic, the rationale was three-fold. Particularly, new therapies are needed since chemotherapy is not particularly effective in that group. However, it did seem that this pathway was particularly suitable, Karasic adds.

In this trial, patients remained on treatment for a median of 1.7 months. By the initial 2-month assessment, 5 of 21 patients had stable disease and 16 patients had progressive disease by imaging and/or clinical progression.