Persistent response to combination treatment of pemigatinib and chemotherapy in a patient with advanced gastric cancer: A case report

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to report the treatment and outcomes of a patient with advanced gastric cancer (GC) using a combination of a targeted molecular therapy and chemotherapy.

Patients and methods: A 40-year-old woman presented with abdominal metastatic nodules and peritoneal effusion. Biopsy and cytology identified signet ring cell carcinoma. Ten months after the onset of initial symptoms, gastroscopy confirmed signet ring cell carcinoma of the gastric body. Genetic testing revealed amplification of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) gene. Consequently, the patient received FGFR inhibitor pemigatinib in addition to a chemotherapy regimen of albumin paclitaxel plus 5-fluorouracil.

Results: During the treatment, the patient experienced recurrent liver function abnormalities and intestinal obstruction, which were managed with symptom-specific medications and supportive therapies. The combined treatment regimen resulted in a progression-free survival (PFS) period of ten months.

Conclusion: The integration of FGFR inhibitor pemigatinib with standard chemotherapy showed promising results in prolonging PFS in a patient with advanced GC characterized by FGFR gene amplification, despite the occurrence of manageable side effects.

Keywords

FGFR gene amplification / pemigatinib / signet ring cell carcinoma

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