Recently, there has been more good news from the Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at Fujian Cancer Hospital. A patient with advanced gastric cancer, who had undergone multiple lines of treatment, showed near-complete clinical remission (ncCR) four months after receiving CAR-T cell therapy in December 2024. In February 2025, a six-month follow-up examination revealed that the patient had achieved clinical complete remission (cCR).
Mr. Wang (a pseudonym) was diagnosed with advanced HER2-positive gastric cancer with liver metastasis in 2020. After undergoing several rounds of targeted immunotherapy and chemotherapy, his condition relapsed, and HER2 expression turned negative, rendering HER2-targeted drugs ineffective. Faced with the failure of traditional treatments, Mr. Wang found himself in a situation where no effective treatment was available. Upon the recommendation of the multidisciplinary team at Fujian Cancer Hospital, he decided to join the hospital's ongoing clinical trial of CAR-T cell therapy.
"Treating advanced gastric cancer patients has always been a significant challenge in clinical practice," said Dr. Li Hui, Chief Physician of the Department of Abdominal Oncology at Fujian Cancer Hospital. "These patients often face disease progression even after undergoing first- and second-line treatments, presenting significant challenges. Therefore, we need to explore new therapeutic options to offer them hope."
In August 2024, Mr. Wang underwent CAR-T cell therapy. During the treatment, he experienced only a brief episode of high fever, which was quickly alleviated with symptomatic treatment. By December 2024, four months post-treatment, tumor evaluation showed that Mr. Wang had achieved a state of "near clinical complete remission" (ncCR). In February 2025, six months after the CAR-T cell infusion, follow-up examinations revealed no detectable tumors in clinical and imaging assessments, indicating clinical complete remission (cCR). This means the tumor lesions had disappeared, and no new lesions had emerged. Currently, Mr. Wang requires no further anti-tumor treatment and only needs regular follow-up examinations, with a significant improvement in his quality of life.
As a sub-center for a registered multicenter clinical trial, Fujian Cancer Hospital is conducting a clinical trial initiated by Suzhou Immunofoco Biotechnology Co., Ltd., focusing on "CAR-T cell therapy for Claudin 18.2-Positive advanced gastric and pancreatic cancer patients who have failed standard treatments." Preliminary data from patients who have already received CAR-T cell infusions show good safety profiles and promising efficacy. The trial has received approval from the ethics committee.
Dr. Li Hui further explained, "CAR-T cell therapy can precisely identify and attack tumor cells while generating immune memory, providing long-term protection against tumor recurrence. CAR-T cell therapy offers new hope for advanced gastric cancer patients, but a comprehensive evaluation, including physical condition, tumor burden, and immune function, is necessary before treatment."
With the successful application of CAR-T cell therapy in treating refractory and relapsed gastric cancer, its potential in advanced gastric cancer treatment is becoming increasingly evident. As technology advances and clinical research deepens, CAR-T therapy is expected to become a standard treatment option for more patients with advanced gastric cancer.
"We look forward to further validating the safety and efficacy of CAR-T therapy in gastric cancer treatment through more clinical practices, bringing new hope to more patients," said Dr. Yang Jianwei, Chief Physician of the Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at Fujian Cancer Hospital.
Disclaimer: This document is intended to facilitate communication and exchange of medical information and does not constitute a recommendation for any specific drug or treatment regimen. Specific treatment plans should be conducted under the guidance of professional medical personnel.
