Gastrointestinal and Its Associated Malignancies: Diagnosis, Targets and Therapies

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 December 2025 | Viewed by 3596

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Hematology & Oncology—Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
Interests: GI cancers; translational research; cancer therapeutics

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, GIS, GITAM (Deemed to Be University), Visakhapatnam 530045, India
Interests: cancer metastasis; anticancer drugs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gastrointestinal cancers constitute a heterogenous and aggressive group of malignancies characterized by high relapse rates. They are ranked as the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and this emphasizes the pressing need for advancements in both their diagnosis and treatment strategies. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients face late-stage diagnoses due to the unremarkable nature of early symptoms and the limited prevalence of regular screenings.

Diagnostic procedures include a range of techniques such as endoscopy, barium swallow, CT, NMR, PET/CT scans, and biomarker testing, as well as MRI with gadolinium and laparoscopy. This delayed identification, coupled with the constraints of available therapies, contributes to a grim prognosis, especially for individuals with advanced gastric cancer, resulting in a short lifespan of approximately one year. Standard treatment modalities involve radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, yet their effectiveness is impeded by challenges like multi-drug resistance and tumor relapse.

Perioperative chemotherapy has emerged as the norm for resectable GI, while ongoing research explores the potential benefits of targeted therapy and immunotherapy across diverse clinical setups. Recent advancements in immunotherapy and biomarker-guided therapies offer optimism for enhanced outcomes, particularly in metastatic cases. The molecular classification of gastric cancer, utilizing biomarkers such as programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), microsatellite instability (MSI), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), facilitates tailored treatment approaches. Molecular diagnostics play a pivotal role in characterizing genetic profiles, identifying potential molecular targets, and shaping personalized therapeutic strategies, representing the significant progress made in managing this intricate and challenging group of cancers.

Dr. Ganji P. Nagaraju
Dr. Seema Kumari
Guest Editors

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 communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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

  • GI cancers
  • oncogenesis
  • diagnosis
  • target identification
  • biomarkers
  • therapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 1581 KiB  
Article
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Anastomoses of the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Multicentric Experience
by Giacomo Emanuele Maria Rizzo, Chiara Coluccio, Edoardo Forti, Alessandro Fugazza, Cecilia Binda, Giuseppe Vanella, Francesco Maria Di Matteo, Stefano Francesco Crinò, Andrea Lisotti, Marcello Fabio Maida, Giovanni Aragona, Aurelio Mauro, Alessandro Repici, Andrea Anderloni, Carlo Fabbri, Ilaria Tarantino and on behalf of the I-EUS Group
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050910 - 6 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 820
Abstract
This multicenter retrospective study included patients undergoing EUS-guided GI anastomoses from 2016 to 2023. Indications for EUS-guided anastomosis were GOO, ALS or patients with altered anatomy needing endoscopic interventions. The primary outcome was technical success, while secondary outcomes included clinical success, safety, lumen-apposing [...] Read more.
This multicenter retrospective study included patients undergoing EUS-guided GI anastomoses from 2016 to 2023. Indications for EUS-guided anastomosis were GOO, ALS or patients with altered anatomy needing endoscopic interventions. The primary outcome was technical success, while secondary outcomes included clinical success, safety, lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) patency, and the need for reinterventions. A total of 216 patients (mean age 64.5 [±13.94] years; 49.1% males) were included. In total, 149 cases (69%) were GOO, 44 (20.4%) cases were bilioenteric anastomotic strictures or lithiasis in altered anatomy, 14 cases (6.5%) were ALS, and 9 patients (4.2%) were for ERCP in altered anatomy after EUS-GG. Overall, EUS-GE was performed in 181 patients (83.8%), EUS-JJ in 44 cases (20.4%), and EUS-GG in 10 (4.6%). Technical success was 94.91%, and clinical success was 93.66%. The adverse event (AE) rate was 11.1%. The reintervention rate was 7.69%. The median follow-up was 85 days. In conclusions, EUS-guided GI anastomoses are technically feasible and safe in both malignant and benign diseases. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 1679 KiB  
Review
Advances in Non-Invasive Screening Methods for Gastrointestinal Cancers: How Continued Innovation Has Revolutionized Early Cancer Detection
by Dushyant Singh Dahiya, Sheza Malik, Ruchir Paladiya, Sidra Ahsan, Haniya Wasim, Hareesha Rishab Bharadwaj, Abhishek Goel, Ali Jaan, Umar Hayat, Fariha Hasan, Sneh Sonaiya and Hassam Ali
Cancers 2025, 17(7), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17071085 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 923
Abstract
The early diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancers is essential for better survival and to reduce the burden of malignancies worldwide [...] Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1250 KiB  
Review
Effect of Gut Dysbiosis on Onset of GI Cancers
by Seema Kumari, Mundla Srilatha and Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
Cancers 2025, 17(1), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17010090 - 30 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1298
Abstract
Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota plays a significant role in GI cancer development by influencing immune function and disrupting metabolic functions. Dysbiosis can drive carcinogenesis through pathways like immune dysregulation and the release of carcinogenic metabolites, and altered metabolism, genetic instability, and pro-inflammatory [...] Read more.
Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota plays a significant role in GI cancer development by influencing immune function and disrupting metabolic functions. Dysbiosis can drive carcinogenesis through pathways like immune dysregulation and the release of carcinogenic metabolites, and altered metabolism, genetic instability, and pro-inflammatory signalling, contributing to GI cancer initiation and progression. Helicobacter pylori infection and genotoxins released from dysbiosis, lifestyle and dietary habits are other factors that contribute to GI cancer development. Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic approaches show promise in colorectal cancer treatment, including the multitarget faecal immunochemical test (mtFIT), standard FIT, and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) combined with PD-1 inhibitors. We used search engine databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. This review discusses the role of dysbiosis in GI cancer onset and explores strategies such as FMT, probiotics, and prebiotics to enhance the immune response and improve cancer therapy outcomes. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop