Two thematic questions are at the forefront of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer research: What role will immunotherapy play in the management of these cancers, and how will further subtyping of tumors allow for personalized selection of therapies?
The data in GI cancers presented at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) show that the bar is moving forward on both of these issues, but more work needs to be done. Of note, there have been connections and crossovers between these two research endeavors, which complement each other in the development of better treatments for this spectrum of diseases.
Microsatellite Status Key in Current GI Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy remains in a much earlier phase of development for the treatment of GI cancers when compared with other disease types. Part of the reason for this is that the currently available immune checkpoint inhibitors do not appear to have the same level of activity against GI cancers as against other solid tumors. Understanding why this tempered activity exists will be critical to incorporating these therapies into the treatment of these GI diseases.
