Clatterbridge clinical trial aims to bring 'life-changing' hope to oesophageal cancer patients

Posted 24th February 2023

A new clinical research trial is signing up its first patients at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in the hope that it can treat their stomach cancer in a ‘life-changing’ way.

The study offers another therapy for those patients who have not responded well to the standard treatment for cancer of the oesophagus, also called the foodpipe or gullet (stomach).

The international clinical research trial is called Destiny Gastric 04 and is studying an experimental drug, Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, which is designed to stop a certain protein that can help to grow cancer tumours.

Dr Alia Alchawaf, who is leading on the study as Principal Investigator at Clatterbridge, said: “Ten to 30% of gastric or gastro oesophageal cancers express HER2 protein that can drive tumour growth.

“Standard treatment is chemotherapy and a drug called Trastuzumab, which blocks the protein and is known to be effective in controlling the disease. However, when the treatment stops working, other options are limited and prognosis is very poor.

“This new drug has been very successful in HER2 Positive breast cancer and results have been promising from smaller studies. If the results are positive, Trastuzumab Deruxtecan can be life-changing for this cohort of patient and can be a new standard of practice in the gastric and gastroesophageal cancers.”

Dr Alchawaf, pictured, is hoping this study will be the first of a series of clinical research trials at Clatterbridge focussing on patients who have oesophageal, gastric and gastroesophageal cancer.

Cancer of the oesophagus is more common in older people, with about 40% of oesophageal cancers develop in people aged 75 and over.

It is Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month, and you can lower your risks of developing the disease by quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and cutting down on your alcohol consumption.

Its most common symptoms include:

• difficulty swallowing
• indigestion or heartburn that does not go away
• unexplained weight loss
• pain in your throat or behind your breastbone

However, these are symptoms of other conditions that are much more common than oesophageal cancer.

Please contact your GP practice if you have difficulty swallowing, or you have symptoms that are unusual for you or that do not go away. It is unlikely that your symptoms are cancer but it is important to get them checked by a clinician.