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Recent advances in immune therapies for gastric cancer

Cancer Gene Therapy volume 28, pages 924–934 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is an aggressive malignancy that is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Localized GC can be cured with surgery, but most patients present with more advanced non-operable disease. Until recently, treatment options for relapsed and refractory advanced GC have been limited to combination chemotherapy regimens, HER-2 directed therapy, and radiation, which lead to few durable responses. Over the past decade, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the molecular and immune pathogenesis of GC. The infectious agents Epstein-Barr virus and Helicobacter pylori perturb the gastric mucosa immune equilibrium, which creates a microenvironment that favors GC tumorigenesis and evasion of immune surveillance. Insights into immune mechanisms of GC have translated into novel therapeutics, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have become a treatment option for select patients with GC. Furthermore, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies have emerged as a breakthrough treatment for many cancers, with recent studies showing this to be a potential therapy for GC. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on immune mechanisms of GC and the status of emerging immunotherapies to treat this aggressive cancer, as well as outline current challenges and directions for future research.

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Fig. 1: GC tumor microenvironment.
Fig. 2: Schematic of GC CAR T-cell design and mechanism of action.

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Acknowledgements

Figures illustrations were created with BioRender.com. Research reported in this publication was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number 2P20GM103395. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the NIH.

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  1. Hematology and Medical Oncology, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, USA

    Matthew J. Olnes

  2. WWAMI School of Medical Education, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA

    Matthew J. Olnes & Holly A. Martinson

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Olnes, M.J., Martinson, H.A. Recent advances in immune therapies for gastric cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 28, 924–934 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41417-021-00310-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41417-021-00310-y

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