[Metastatic Stomach Cancer: Clinical Trials in Asia and in Occident]

Although cytotoxic chemotherapy is the main therapeutic option to treat gastric cancer in the metastatic setting, molecular targeted agents have recently been introduced in an effort to improve survival outcomes which in average do not exceed 1 year. Trastuzumab and ramucirumab, antibodies directed against HER2 and VEGFR2, respectively, may provide clinical benefit for some patients. Results of clinical studies show that Asian patients have increased survival compared to Caucasian patients. Differences between populations, and in particular the presence of polymorphisms capable of influencing the availability of fluorouracil, have been suggested as possible explanations. Other factors including histology, surgical procedures, administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in Western countries and screening programs in Asia have also been suggested. However, none of these elements can fully explain this phenomenon. The aim of this article is to present the main protocols used in clinical practice, the perspectives of metastatic gastric cancer treatment and the particularities observed in Asian and Caucasian patients.