There have been some advances in treating advanced stomach cancer with immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors. These use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
A checkpoint inhibitor drug called nivolumab may be used with chemotherapy for some people with advanced stomach cancer that has high levels of the protein PD-L1. Nivolumab may also be used when chemotherapy hasn’t worked or when the tumour has a high level of the marker MSI.
Side effects of immunotherapy
Not everyone will experience the same effects, but they may include redness, swelling (inflammation) or pain in any of the organs of the body, leading to common side effects such as fatigue, skin rash, diarrhoea and cough. The inflammation can lead to more serious side effects in some people, but this will be monitored closely and managed quickly. Let your treatment team know immediately if you develop any side effects.
For more on this, see our general section on Immunotherapy.
→ READ MORE: Radiation therapy for stomach cancer
Video: What is immunotherapy?
Watch this short video to learn more about drug therapies like immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
Podcast: Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy
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Prof David I Watson, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Flinders University, and Senior Consultant Surgeon, Oesophago-Gastric Surgery Unit, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Prof Bryan Burmeister, Senior Radiation Oncologist, GenesisCare Fraser Coast and Hervey Bay Hospital, QLD; Kieran Cahill, Consumer; Jessica Jong, Clinical Dietitian, Upper GI and Hepatobiliary Services, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; John Leung, Consumer; Prof Rajvinder Singh, Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide, and Director, Gastroenterology Department and Head of Endoscopy, Lyell McEwin Hospital, SA; Dr Sarah Sutherland, Medical Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Paula Swannock, Upper GI Cancer Nurse Consultant, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, VIC; Rebecca Yeoh, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Queensland.
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