ASCO 2024 | ARMANI: ramucirumab + paclitaxel vs continuation of chemo in advanced HER2- gastric or GEJ cancer

Filippo Pietrantonio, MD, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, discusses the Phase III ARMANI study (NCT02934464) on patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric/GEJ cancer and low/absent PD-L1 expression. The trial evaluated the efficacy of switch consolidation maintenance with paclitaxel plus ramucirumab following three months of initial oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. Patients without disease progression were randomized to receive either ramucirumab plus paclitaxel or continued chemotherapy for an additional three months. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), with secondary endpoints including overall survival (OS), quality of life, safety, and biomarkers. Results showed a significant improvement in median PFS (6.6 vs. 3.5 months) and OS (12.6 vs. 10.4 months) for the paclitaxel plus ramucirumab arm. Although grade ≥3 adverse events were higher in this arm, no treatment-related deaths occurred. This strategy may benefit patients non-eligible for initial immune checkpoint inhibitor-based regimens. This interview took place during the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting in Chicago, IL.

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