ABSTRACT
Objective: This study uses existing research results and literature to explore the effectiveness and safety of apatinib combined with trastuzumab in treating advanced gastric cancer. The goal is to establish a theoretical foundation for gastric cancer treatment and assist doctors in developing improved treatment plans. Methods: Three databases were used in this study: the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase. Keywords such as "gastric cancer," "trastuzumab," and "apatinib" were searched to screen and collect the data of the eligible studies. Data extraction and treatment evaluation were performed on the collected literature before conducting a meta-analysis. Results: The combination of apatinib and trastuzumab showed promising results. The objective response rate, disease control rate, and median survival rate were significantly improved compared to trastuzumab alone. The treatment effect of apatinib combined with trastuzumab was found to be superior. However, it was noted that the incidence of hypertension was higher in the apatinib combined with the trastuzumab group. Furthermore, the levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were higher in the combination group, while IL-10, IL-4, TSGF, CA199, and CEA levels were lower in the trastuzumab group. These findings suggest that apatinib combined with trastuzumab may offer better patient outcomes, although it is important to consider the potential adverse reactions associated with this combination therapy. Conclusions: Current evidence shows that compared with trastuzumab, apatinib combined with trastuzumab has advantages in many aspects of treatment, and the therapeutic effect is more significant, which can effectively manage the disease progression in patients with gastric cancer, reduce the adverse reactions of patients to a certain extent, and improve the quality of life of patients. The sample size of this study was relatively small. Expanding the sample size will be necessary to obtain more accurate research results to enhance reliability and validity.