The CONVERGENCE trial protocol: a phase II/III trial for conversion surgery for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases

@article{chia2026convergence,
  title = {{The CONVERGENCE trial protocol: a phase II/III trial for conversion surgery for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases}},
  author = {Daryl KA Chia and Yu Chuan Tan and Bee Choo Tai and Xin Yi Chan and Brian Badgwell and Maria Bencivenga and Piers Boshier and Andreas Brandl and Shannon Chan and Delia Cortes Guiral and Cuong Duong and Jessie A. Elliott and Clarisse Eveno and Tania Fleitas Kanonnikoff and Suzanne S. Gisbertz and Georg Martin Haag and Ken Hagiwara and Mark I. van Berge Henegouwen and Ignace De Hingh and Hyoung-Il Kim and Vo Duy Long and Simon Law and Hyuk-Joon Lee and Misha Luyer and Sheraz Markar and Antoine Mariani and Giovanni de Manzoni and Chin-Ann Johnny Ong and Beate Rau and Franziska Koehler and Safak Guel-Klein and Sun Young Rha and Johanna Van Sandick and Olivia Sgabura and Asim Shabbir and Alberto Mitsuo Leon Takahashi and Marieke Vollebergh and Bas Wijnhoven and Yanghee Woo and Ian Yu-Hong Wong and Hiroharu Yamashita and Olivier Glehen and Magnus Nilsson and Wei Peng Yong and Jimmy BY So},
  journal = {BMC Cancer},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1186/s12885-026-16423-2},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-026-16423-2},
  note = {CC BY},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - The CONVERGENCE trial protocol: a phase II/III trial for conversion surgery for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases
AU  - Daryl KA Chia
AU  - Yu Chuan Tan
AU  - Bee Choo Tai
AU  - Xin Yi Chan
AU  - Brian Badgwell
AU  - Maria Bencivenga
AU  - Piers Boshier
AU  - Andreas Brandl
AU  - Shannon Chan
AU  - Delia Cortes Guiral
AU  - Cuong Duong
AU  - Jessie A. Elliott
AU  - Clarisse Eveno
AU  - Tania Fleitas Kanonnikoff
AU  - Suzanne S. Gisbertz
AU  - Georg Martin Haag
AU  - Ken Hagiwara
AU  - Mark I. van Berge Henegouwen
AU  - Ignace De Hingh
AU  - Hyoung-Il Kim
AU  - Vo Duy Long
AU  - Simon Law
AU  - Hyuk-Joon Lee
AU  - Misha Luyer
AU  - Sheraz Markar
AU  - Antoine Mariani
AU  - Giovanni de Manzoni
AU  - Chin-Ann Johnny Ong
AU  - Beate Rau
AU  - Franziska Koehler
AU  - Safak Guel-Klein
AU  - Sun Young Rha
AU  - Johanna Van Sandick
AU  - Olivia Sgabura
AU  - Asim Shabbir
AU  - Alberto Mitsuo Leon Takahashi
AU  - Marieke Vollebergh
AU  - Bas Wijnhoven
AU  - Yanghee Woo
AU  - Ian Yu-Hong Wong
AU  - Hiroharu Yamashita
AU  - Olivier Glehen
AU  - Magnus Nilsson
AU  - Wei Peng Yong
AU  - Jimmy BY So
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/01
JO  - BMC Cancer
DO  - 10.1186/s12885-026-16423-2
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-026-16423-2
AB  - Background The benefit of surgical resection in addition to systemic therapy in patients with gastric/gastroesophageal cancer and peritoneal metastases (GCPM) is controversial. This CONVERGENCE trial aims to study the potential benefits of conversion surgery in patients with peritoneal metastases. Methods This is a prospective, pragmatically designed, multicentre, randomized, investigator-initiated phase II/III trial. Patients with synchronous GCPM who have undergone either systemic therapy (including 1 L chemotherapy +/- targeted therapy +/- immunotherapy) +/- peritoneal directed chemotherapy with favourable response would be randomized in 1:1 ratio to Arm 1 (Conversion surgery followed by systemic +/- peritoneal directed chemotherapy or Arm 2 (continual systemic +/- peritoneal directed chemotherapy). In the initial Phase II trial, 136 patients will be recruited and randomized. The primary endpoint is overall survival; main secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, R0 resection and complete cytoreduction rates, surgical morbidity/mortality and quality of life outcomes. If pre-defined thresholds of improved overall survival are met, the trial will expand to adequately power a phase III randomized controlled trial (n = 300). Discussion If survival benefit in conversion gastrectomy is demonstrated, this could potentially be a new standard of care for patients with peritoneal metastases from gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. Conversely, negative findings may lead to the avoidance of unnecessary surgical procedures and morbidity in these patients. Trial registration NCT07241715.
SN  - 1471-2407
ER  -