Overview of Gastrointestinal Tumors and Therapeutic Advances in East Asia

Abstract

In East Asia, gastrointestinal tumors are a common group of malignant tumors, including gastric, colorectal, and liver cancers. The high incidence of gastrointestinal tumor neoplasms is related to various factors, including genetic factors, dietary habits, environmental factors, and infections (e.g., Helicobacter pylori infection). In recent years, monoclonal antibody therapeutic modalities targeting HER2, PD-L1, and EGFR have been proved to have unique effects in treating gastrointestinal tumors, providing a new direction for treatment. HER2, a protein overexpressed in some certain populations, has been linked to the occurrence, growth and metastasis of the tumor. Related experiment results proved monoclonal antibody therapy targeting HER2 (e.g., trastuzumab) has shown to significantly improve the efficiency of treating gastrointestinal tumors. PD-L1 is a surface of tumor cells protein which helps tumors to evade attack by the immune system. Treatment with PD-L1 monoclonal antibody therapy, such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, has shown benefits in enhancing the immune system's capacity to recognize and eradicate tumors. Aberrant activation of EGFR act as an important role in the growth of enormous gastrointestinal tumors. Monoclonal antibody treatments directed against EGFR, such as cetuximab, can efficiently disrupt the EGFR signaling cascade, thus suppressing the proliferation and viability of cells in tumor. Meanwhile these monoclonal antibody therapies can be used not only alone, but also in combination with chemotherapy, targeted therapeutic agents to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. For example, dual targeting of HER2 and PD-L1 has shown enhanced efficacy in clinical trials. In addition, the combination of monotherapy targeting EGFR with KRAS G12C inhibitors has shown promise in colorectal cancer treatment. In summary, the three monoclonal antibody therapeutic modalities of HER2, PD-L1, and EGFR have unique advantages in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, which not only provide precise therapeutic approaches against different molecular targets, but also open up new paths for the development of combination therapeutic strategies. With future research, these treatments are expected to further improve the recovery rate and the life quality of people with gastrointestinal tumors.