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Recent Advances in Gastrointestinal Cancers: From Microbiota Modulation to New...
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Recent Advances in Gastrointestinal Cancers: From Microbiota Modulation to New Therapeutic Approaches—2nd Edition

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 3423

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Serena Martinelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
Interests: oncology; metastasis; cell cultures; 3D models; cancer organoids; microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Malignant tumors that affect the gastrointestinal tract, known as gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, are widespread. Globally, GI cancers are estimated to be responsible for one in four cancer cases and one in three deaths. This Special Issue aims to elucidate potential areas of progress in the field of GI cancers, including the modulation of the microbiota and novel therapeutic approaches.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Modulation of the microbiota: role of the gut microbiome in influencing GI cancer development and response to treatment; manipulation of the microbiota through interventions such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation; and methods of modulating the microbiome to enhance response to immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors.
  • Immunotherapy: efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, in various GI malignancies and the exploration of CAR-T potential in GI cancers.
  • Precision medicine: advances in molecular profiling and genomics, leading to the identification of specific biomarkers associated with GI cancers, and the development of liquid biopsy techniques for monitoring GI cancers.
  • Targeted therapies: identify additional targeted therapies for specific subtypes of GI cancers in addition to HER2 therapies.
  • Artificial intelligence in diagnostics: evaluation of machine learning algorithms to analyze medical images and to predict the prognosis and disease outcomes of GI cancers.

Dr. Serena Martinelli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gastrointestinal cancers
  • microbiota
  • anticancer therapy
  • immunotherapy
  • precision medicine

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 825 KB  
Article
Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab Combination Therapy in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Institutional Experience
by Abdullah Esmail, Yazan Hamadneh, Bayan Khasawneh, Maryam Al-Rawi, Ebtesam Al-Najjar, Vikram Dhillon, Ahmad Alhaj, Yaser Rayyan and Maen Abdelrahim
Biomedicines 2025, 13(12), 2844; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13122844 - 21 Nov 2025
Viewed by 982
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) has emerged as a first-line therapy for unresectable HCC (uHCC), improving overall and progression-free survival (OS, overall survival and PFS, progression-free survival) in IMbrave150. This study evaluates the [...] Read more.
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) has emerged as a first-line therapy for unresectable HCC (uHCC), improving overall and progression-free survival (OS, overall survival and PFS, progression-free survival) in IMbrave150. This study evaluates the real-world efficacy and safety of Atezo/Bev in uHCC. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 87 patients (median age 68 years) treated with Atezo/Bev at Houston Methodist Hospital between January 2020 and June 2023. Demographics, treatment patterns, radiological response, OS, PFS, and toxicities were reviewed. Atezo/Bev was administered per FDA guidelines (atezolizumab 1200 mg plus bevacizumab 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks). Results: Of 87 patients, 78% were male, 71% White, and 70% had BCLC stage C disease. Most (60%) had Child–Pugh class A liver function, and 62% had viral hepatitis. Median OS was 15.1 months (95% CI: 10.57–25.97) and PFS was 9.1 months (95% CI: 7.4–21.07). Objective response rate was 31.3% (CR 7.2%, PR 25%, SD 52%, PD 16%). OS was longer in CP A versus CP B patients (21.2 vs. 5.2 months, p < 0.001) and in those receiving post-Atezo/Bev locoregional therapy (21.2 vs. 10.4 months, p = 0.043). Discontinuation due to toxicity occurred in 14%, mainly gastrointestinal bleeding and fatigue. Conclusions: Atezo/Bev demonstrated favorable real-world efficacy and manageable toxicity in uHCC, particularly in patients with preserved liver function or multimodal therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Gastrointestinal Cancers: From Microbiota Modulation to New Therapeutic Approaches—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 1338 KB  
Article
The Impact of miR-21-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-382-5p Expression in Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cells on Lymphatic Spread Capability
by Maciej Ciesielski, Marzena Anna Lewandowska, Mariusz Szajewski, Krzysztof Pastuszak, Piotr Kurek, Jacek Zieliński, Jakub Walczak, Rafał Pęksa and Wiesław Janusz Kruszewski
Biomedicines 2025, 13(10), 2393; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13102393 - 29 Sep 2025
Viewed by 527
Abstract
Objectives: miR-21-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-382-5p have been associated with angiogenesis, which plays a central role in tumor growth and metastasis formation. The aim of the study was to determine whether expression of these three potentially angiogenic miRNAs is related to the [...] Read more.
Objectives: miR-21-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-382-5p have been associated with angiogenesis, which plays a central role in tumor growth and metastasis formation. The aim of the study was to determine whether expression of these three potentially angiogenic miRNAs is related to the lymphatic spread capability of gastric adenocarcinoma and patient survival. Methods: Pathoclinical data of 123 patients who underwent elective gastric resection for adenocarcinoma between 1 August 2006 and 31 December 2013 were retrospectively retrieved. The major concerns were the total number of lymph nodes retrieved, the number of positive nodes, depth of the tumor invasion to the stomach wall, pTNM stage of the disease, Lauren histological tumor type, presence of a mucinous component in the cancer tissue, tumor location in the stomach and survival outcome. The cancer tissues of patients were examined for the expression levels of miR-21-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-382-5p. Results: Elevated hsa-miR-21-5p expression levels and downregulated hsa-miR-145-5p levels were observed in patients with a higher pT stage, lymph node metastasis and advanced pTNM stage. Additionally, hsa-miR-145-5p expression was lower in patients with cardia involvement and a Lauren intestinal-type carcinoma. hsa-miR-382-5p levels were higher in patients with non-mucinous gastric carcinoma. Both hsa-miR-145-5p and hsa-miR-21-5p were predictors of the presence of node metastasis, even when adjusted for pT status. hsa-miR-145-5p was significantly associated with improved survival. hsa-miR-145-5p was significantly associated with an increased probability of surviving 3 years, while increased hsa-miR-21 expression was significantly associated with reduced 3-year survival. All these associations were confirmed in multivariate models, which also included pT and M staging. Conclusions: The upregulation of miR-21-5p and downregulation of miR-145-5p are independent prognostic factors for lymph node metastasis and could serve as specific biomarkers of the lymphatic spread of gastric adenocarcinoma. miR-145-5p downregulation is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Gastrointestinal Cancers: From Microbiota Modulation to New Therapeutic Approaches—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 4161 KB  
Article
Targeting CEACAM5: Biomarker Characterization and Fluorescent Probe Labeling for Image-Guided Gastric Cancer Surgery
by Serena Martinelli, Sara Peri, Cecilia Anceschi, Anna Laurenzana, Laura Fortuna, Tommaso Mello, Laura Naldi, Giada Marroncini, Jacopo Tricomi, Alessio Biagioni, Amedeo Amedei and Fabio Cianchi
Biomedicines 2025, 13(8), 1812; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081812 - 24 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1575
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by high mortality rates and responsible for about one million new cases each year globally. Surgery is the main treatment, but achieving radical resection remains a relevant intraoperative challenge. [...] Read more.
Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by high mortality rates and responsible for about one million new cases each year globally. Surgery is the main treatment, but achieving radical resection remains a relevant intraoperative challenge. Fluorescence-guided surgery offers clinicians greater capabilities for real-time detection of tumor nodules and visualization of tumor margins. In this field, the main challenge remains the development of fluorescent dyes that can selectively target tumor tissues. Methods: we examined the expression of the most suitable GC markers, including carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule-5 (CEACAM5) and Claudin-4 (CLDN4), in GC cell lines. To further evaluate their expression, we performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tumor and healthy tissue samples from 30 GC patients who underwent partial gastrectomy at the Digestive System Surgery Unit, AOU Careggi, Florence. Additionally, we validated anti-CEACAM5 expression on patient-derived organoids. Furthermore, we developed a fluorescent molecule targeting CEACAM5 on the surface of GC cells and assessed its binding properties on patient tissue slices and fragments. Results: in this work, we first identified CEACAM5 as an optimal GC biomarker, and then we developed a fluorescent antibody specific for CEACAM5. We also evaluated its binding specificity for GC cell lines and patient-derived tumor tissue, achieving an optimal ability to discriminate tumor tissue from healthy mucosa. Conclusions: Overall, our results support the development of our fluorescent antibody as a promising tumor-specific imaging agent that, after further in vivo validation, could improve the accuracy of complete tumor resection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Gastrointestinal Cancers: From Microbiota Modulation to New Therapeutic Approaches—2nd Edition)
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