Karamvir Yadav, Medical Oncologist at Harish Renova Hospital, shared a post on X:
“CLDN18.2 is reshaping the treatment landscape of advanced gastric cancer.
Over the past few years, gastric cancer has transitioned from a disease treated primarily with chemotherapy to one increasingly guided by molecular biomarkers. Among the most promising advances is CLDN18.2, a highly selective therapeutic target now translating into meaningful clinical benefit.
A recent review in Cancer Treatment Reviews summarizes the rapidly evolving CLDN18.2-directed therapeutic landscape:
- Zolbetuximab is the first approved CLDN18.2-targeted monoclonal antibody and has demonstrated significant improvements in both progression-free and overall survival when combined with chemotherapy in patients with HER2-negative, CLDN18.2-positive advanced gastric/GEJ adenocarcinoma.
- An exciting pipeline of next-generation monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapies is expanding treatment possibilities.
- Emerging data suggest that combining CLDN18.2-targeted therapy with chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors may further improve outcomes in biomarker-selected patients.
Clinical implications
- Routine CLDN18.2 testing should be incorporated into the biomarker workup for advanced HER2-negative gastric cancer.
- Patient selection remains critical, with higher CLDN18.2 expression correlating with greater benefit.
- Ongoing phase III trials will help define the future role of combination strategies and next-generation agents.
Precision oncology in gastric cancer is evolving rapidly, and CLDN18.2 has become one of the most clinically relevant biomarkers to watch.
What are your thoughts on integrating CLDN18.2 testing into routine clinical practice, particularly in resource-constrained settings?”
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