Adjuvant Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers

Dear Colleagues,

Introduction:

Welcome to our Special Issue, entitled “Adjuvant Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers”. This Special Issue focuses on adjuvant therapy for gastrointestinal cancers, a topic of great importance and relevance in the field of oncology.

Adjuvant therapy has revolutionized the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, especially for colorectal cancers, improving patient survival and quality of life. However, there are still many challenges to face and new perspectives to explore.

We invite authors to submit original articles and reviews that explore new approaches, technologies, and strategies in adjuvant therapy for gastrointestinal cancers. We are particularly interested in studies that examine the latest research, technological advances, and future trends in this field.

We invite you to share your experiences, discoveries, and visions with us. We look forward to reading your contributions.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remain a significant global health burden. While significant progress has been made in surgery and systemic therapies, the potential for recurrence after curative resection necessitates further optimization of adjuvant treatment strategies. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and emerging opportunities in adjuvant therapy for GI cancers.

Scope: We welcome high-quality original research articles, reviews, and perspectives covering the following areas:

- Current standards of adjuvant therapy for GI cancers: This includes established regimens, novel therapeutic agents, targeted therapies, and the role of combination therapies.

- New surgical perspectives: Robotic and minimally invasive surgery for GI cancers; personalized surgical approaches based on the molecular profile of the tumor; cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermia perfusion; treatments for liver metastases.

- Minimally invasive interventions: Advantages and limitations of laparoscopic and robotic surgeries for GI cancer; impact of minimally invasive interventions on oncological outcomes and patient quality of life; the role of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of liver metastases.

- Liver metastases: Treatment strategies for liver metastases of GI cancers; the role of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and other locoregional treatments; new systemic therapies and immunotherapies for liver metastases.

- Peritoneal carcinomatosis: Treatment options for peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer; role of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermia perfusion; new systemic therapies and palliative treatment strategies such as PIPAC.

- Emerging trends in risk stratification and personalized medicine: We encourage submissions exploring the use of molecular markers, genomic profiling, and other tools for tailoring adjuvant therapy to individual patients.

- Investigational approaches and future directions: We invite articles on promising pre-clinical and clinical studies evaluating novel agents, immunotherapies, and other innovative treatment modalities.

- The impact of adjuvant therapy on patient outcomes: Submissions addressing the long-term efficacy, safety, and quality-of-life implications of adjuvant therapy are encouraged.

Radiology, Staging, Treatment Response Assessment, and Disease Progression Evaluation in Adjuvant Therapy for GI Cancer

In addition to the previously discussed topics, this Special Issue will also delve into the crucial roles of radiology, staging, treatment response assessment, and disease progression evaluation in the context of adjuvant therapy for GI cancer.

Radiological Perspectives:

The evolving role of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and other imaging modalities in staging, treatment planning, and response assessment for GI cancer patients.

Integration of advanced imaging techniques, such as radiomics and artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance diagnostic accuracy, predict treatment response, and guide personalized treatment decisions.

Utilizing imaging findings to identify patients with high-risk features who may benefit from more aggressive adjuvant therapy regimens.

Staging and Prognostication:

Refining staging systems and incorporating molecular biomarkers to improve risk stratification and prognostication in GI cancer patients.

Roles of genomic profiling and gene expression analysis in identifying patients with distinct molecular subtypes and tailoring adjuvant therapy accordingly.

Utilizing nomograms and clinical prediction models to estimate individual patient risk and guide treatment decisions.

Treatment Response Assessment:

Standardizing criteria and guidelines for evaluating treatment response in GI cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy.

Comparative assessment of different response evaluation systems, including RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) and modified RECIST (mRECIST), and their impact on treatment decisions.

Emerging role of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and functional imaging techniques in the early detection of treatment responses and the prediction of long-term outcomes.

Disease Progression Evaluation:

Surveillance strategies for detecting disease recurrence and guiding further treatment decisions in patients who have completed adjuvant therapy.

The roles of CT colonography, PET-CT, and other imaging modalities in detecting recurrent or metastatic disease.

Integrating imaging findings with clinical data and tumor markers to optimize surveillance intervals and personalize follow-up care.

Peritoneal Carcinomatosis:

Radiological evaluation of peritoneal carcinomatosis, including the extent of disease, involvement of specific organs, and response to treatment.

Role of imaging in guiding surgical planning and cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Assessing treatment response and monitoring for disease progression in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis.

This Special Issue aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and other healthcare professionals who are interested in the latest advancements and future directions of adjuvant therapy for GI cancers. We hope to stimulate further research and clinical trials that will ultimately translate into improved patient outcomes.

This Special Issue will cover a wide range of topics relevant to adjuvant therapy for GI cancers. We hope to encourage a lively discussion and promote new research and innovations in this field.

Dr. Francesco Fleres
Prof. Dr. Antonio Ieni
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 short 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. Medicina 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 1800 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.

• colorectal cancer
• gastric cancer
• hepatobiliary cancer
• pancreatic cancer
• peritoneal carcinomatosis
• adjuvant chemotherapy
• adjuvant radiotherapy
• laparoscopy
• robotic surgery
• endoscopy
• oncology
• pathological anatomy
• immunohistochemistry
• cancer
• oncology