Select updates from ASCO and ESMO 2024 for gastrointestinal cancer care

Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies remain the culprit behind a substantial portion of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and outcomes for patients with advanced or metastatic GI cancers remain poor despite continued efforts to improve care. In 2024, the ongoing clinical trials to optimize and improve GI cancer care showcased progress in molecular diagnostics, systemic therapies, and localized treatment approaches, providing hope for continued progress toward improved patient outcomes.

This review summarizes selected updates in GI cancer care from the 2024 ASCO and ESMO Annual Meetings, including both positive and negative trials that, while not universally practice-changing, contribute to shaping GI cancer care, clinical management, or address key questions in the field. The selected trials cover early detection and diagnostic advances, perioperative management, metastatic disease management, and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)'s emerging role in GI cancer.

Various clinical trials in perioperative management and their results continue to reshape or strengthen the current treatment paradigms. The use of ICIs for microsatellite instability-high colorectal cancer (CRC) presented a notable advancement with the potential to improve patient outcomes. Localized treatments such as thermal ablation appear to benefit some patients with CRC and liver metastases.

The collection of trial results presented at the 2024 ASCO and ESMO Annual Meetings denote the ongoing efforts of the medical and scientific community for optimizing GI cancer care. The ongoing efforts of the GI cancer research and patient community provide hope for continued progress toward improved patient outcomes and new standards of care.