Recent insights into the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastric cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunotherapy
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of cancer death globally, often diagnosed at advanced stages.
• Current treatments for advanced GC are limited in efficacy.
• Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, has emerged as a transformative treatment modality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors in GC.
• To highlight biomarkers for patient selection in GC immunotherapy.
• To discuss GC molecular subtypes as predictors of response.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical trials evaluating immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastric cancer.
• Analysis of biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression and tumor mutational burden.
• Examination of molecular characteristics including MSI status and EBV infection.

Main Results:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors are approved for recurrent/metastatic GC.
• Biomarkers like PD-L1 and MSI status show potential for predicting response.
• GC molecular classification offers insights into treatment efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a significant advancement in GC treatment.
• Biomarker-guided patient selection is crucial for optimizing immunotherapy outcomes.
• Understanding GC heterogeneity is key to personalized treatment strategies.