Recent Advances in Gastrointestinal Cancers: From Microbiota Modulation to New Therapeutic Approaches (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9783725857692)

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic, and biliary tract cancers, account for nearly one in four cancer cases and one in three cancer deaths worldwide. This Special Issue explores advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, focusing on immunotherapy, precision medicine, targeted therapies, and artificial intelligence. Despite advances in standard treatments, many patients still face aggressive or refractory disease, highlighting the need for innovative therapeutic strategies and predictive tools. The published contributions reflect the multidimensional evolution of GI oncology within the precision medicine paradigm. Pharmacological advances, such as the combination of regorafenib with 5-fluorouracil or bevacizumab with trifluridine-tipiracil, have demonstrated improved disease control in metastatic colorectal cancer. Molecular profiling and multi-omic analyses have identified prognostic biomarkers, including CLDN1, INHBA, and CXCL12, while studies on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway reveal early events in colorectal carcinogenesis. Patient-derived organoids have emerged as key preclinical models, faithfully recapitulating tumor biology and enabling personalized testing of chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens.

Overall, these advances illustrate a dynamic and integrated approach to GI oncology, combining pharmacology, molecular diagnostics, bioengineering, and microbiome science to improve precision, improve patient outcomes, and move toward a personalized and holistic model of cancer care.