Shifting paradigm in locally advanced resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers

Core Tip

Core Tip: The recent real-world study by Wang et al adds to the growing evidence that perioperative sintilimab combined with oxaliplatin and S-1 chemotherapy improves pathological response and overall survival in non-metastatic gastric cancer, with a manageable safety profile. However, the conclusions are tempered by the study’s retrospective design, limited power, and the use of a potentially suboptimal chemotherapy backbone. Crucially, this data aligns with the positive results of the large phase III MATTERHORN trial, solidifying the paradigm shift. The collective evidence now strongly suggests that adding immunotherapy to perioperative chemotherapy enhances cure rates for locally advanced resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers, establishing this combination as a new standard of care.