Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives
Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its treatment has been a focus of medical research. Herein we systematically review the current status of and advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for GC, which have emerged as important treatment st...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Molecular Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01075-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823862010578731008 |
|---|---|
| author | Dong Luo Yunmei Liu Zhengmao Lu Lei Huang |
| author_facet | Dong Luo Yunmei Liu Zhengmao Lu Lei Huang |
| author_sort | Dong Luo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its treatment has been a focus of medical research. Herein we systematically review the current status of and advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for GC, which have emerged as important treatment strategies in recent years with great potential, and summarize the efficacy and safety of such treatments. Targeted therapies against key targets in GC, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor (VEGFR), have shown remarkable therapeutic efficacies by inhibiting tumor progression and/or blood supply. In particular, markable breakthroughs have been made in HER2-targeting drugs for HER2-positive GC patients. To address intrinsic and acquired resistances to HER2-targeting drugs, novel therapeutic agents including bispecific antibodies and antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) targeting HER2 have been developed. Immunotherapy enhances the recognition and elimination of cancer cells by activating body anticancer immune system. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies are the most commonly used immunotherapeutic agents and have been used with some success in GC treatment. Innovative immunotherapy modalities, including adoptive immune cell therapy, tumor vaccines, and non-specific immunomodulators therapy, and oncolytic viruses have shown promise in early-stage clinical trials for GC. Clinical trials have supported that targeted therapy and immunotherapy can significantly improve the survival and quality of life of GC patients. However, the effects of such therapies need to be further improved and more personalized, with advancement in researches on tumor immune microenvironment. Further studies remain needed to address the issues of drug resistance and adverse events pertaining to such therapies for GC. The combined application of such therapies and individualized treatment strategies should be further explored with novel drugs developed, to provide more effective treatments for GC patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e2ea390fa0504d33a5c1a281f60e916c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1528-3658 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-e2ea390fa0504d33a5c1a281f60e916c2025-02-09T12:42:10ZengBMCMolecular Medicine1528-36582025-02-0131112710.1186/s10020-025-01075-yTargeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectivesDong Luo0Yunmei Liu1Zhengmao Lu2Lei Huang3Department of Gastroenterology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University/Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical UniversitySchool of Cultural Heritage and Information Management, Shanghai UniversityDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University/Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical UniversityAbstract Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its treatment has been a focus of medical research. Herein we systematically review the current status of and advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for GC, which have emerged as important treatment strategies in recent years with great potential, and summarize the efficacy and safety of such treatments. Targeted therapies against key targets in GC, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor (VEGFR), have shown remarkable therapeutic efficacies by inhibiting tumor progression and/or blood supply. In particular, markable breakthroughs have been made in HER2-targeting drugs for HER2-positive GC patients. To address intrinsic and acquired resistances to HER2-targeting drugs, novel therapeutic agents including bispecific antibodies and antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) targeting HER2 have been developed. Immunotherapy enhances the recognition and elimination of cancer cells by activating body anticancer immune system. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies are the most commonly used immunotherapeutic agents and have been used with some success in GC treatment. Innovative immunotherapy modalities, including adoptive immune cell therapy, tumor vaccines, and non-specific immunomodulators therapy, and oncolytic viruses have shown promise in early-stage clinical trials for GC. Clinical trials have supported that targeted therapy and immunotherapy can significantly improve the survival and quality of life of GC patients. However, the effects of such therapies need to be further improved and more personalized, with advancement in researches on tumor immune microenvironment. Further studies remain needed to address the issues of drug resistance and adverse events pertaining to such therapies for GC. The combined application of such therapies and individualized treatment strategies should be further explored with novel drugs developed, to provide more effective treatments for GC patients.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01075-yGastric cancerTargeted therapyImmunotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Dong Luo Yunmei Liu Zhengmao Lu Lei Huang Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives Molecular Medicine Gastric cancer Targeted therapy Immunotherapy |
| title | Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives |
| title_full | Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives |
| title_fullStr | Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives |
| title_short | Targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer: rational strategies, novel advancements, challenges, and future perspectives |
| title_sort | targeted therapy and immunotherapy for gastric cancer rational strategies novel advancements challenges and future perspectives |
| topic | Gastric cancer Targeted therapy Immunotherapy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01075-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dongluo targetedtherapyandimmunotherapyforgastriccancerrationalstrategiesnoveladvancementschallengesandfutureperspectives AT yunmeiliu targetedtherapyandimmunotherapyforgastriccancerrationalstrategiesnoveladvancementschallengesandfutureperspectives AT zhengmaolu targetedtherapyandimmunotherapyforgastriccancerrationalstrategiesnoveladvancementschallengesandfutureperspectives AT leihuang targetedtherapyandimmunotherapyforgastriccancerrationalstrategiesnoveladvancementschallengesandfutureperspectives |