Video

Facing Challenges and Excitement for Immunotherapy in GI Cancers

Author(s):

Gregory L. Beatty, M.D., Ph.D.

The science behind immunotherapy and gastrointestinal cancers is not quite perfected yet, but one subset of patients is seeing remarkable results.

Gregory Beatty, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, discusses challenges of using immunotherapy to treat gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

The majority of the immune system is located in the gut, Beatty says, and every single day, it encounters many pathogens and has to decide to fight them or not. Because of this, it might be difficult to spark the immune system when a foreign body, like cancer, is located there.

However, there are some subsets of GI cancers whose tumors have DNA mismatch repair — which ultimately leads to microsatellite instability – that look more like an invader, thus activating the immune response. This group of patients has seen astounding results with the use of checkpoint inhibitors.

Newsletter

Stay up to date on cancer updates, research and education

Subscribe Now!
Related Videos
Immune Therapy Expands Melanoma Treatment to More Patients
Bladder preservation for bladder cancer requires balancing clinical factors and patient health with a personalized treatment plan.
image of doctor D'Sa
Image of Dr. Eng.
Image of Dr. Tagawa.
Most patients in accredited hospitals had smoking discussions documented, showing key care opportunities and smoking’s impact on treatment outcomes.
Illustration of doctor.
Image of doctor.
Image of man with black hair.
Picture of Dr. Pouneh Razavi
Related Content
Dr. Suresh S. Ramalingam explains that patients with stage 3 lung cancer who undergo chemotherapy and radiation may develop radiation pneumonitis.
May 7th 2025

Managing Lung Inflammation After Chemoradiation and Tagrisso

Dr. Suresh S. Ramalingam
Dr. Suresh S. Ramalingam explains that patients with stage 3 lung cancer who undergo chemotherapy and radiation may develop radiation pneumonitis.
Teri Greige with medals
February 16th 2023

The Sport of Cancer: How One Survivor Linked Ironman Training and Colorectal Cancer

Brielle Benyon
Teri Griege completed an Ironman triathlon in 2009, and less than a month later received a stage 4 colorectal cancer diagnosis. In this episode of Cancer Horizons, she shared her story.
FDA text.
May 1st 2025

Recapping Every FDA Approval Announced in April for Cancer Care

Ryan Scott
Here is a recap of every FDA approval announced by the regulatory agency in the month of April, spanning various cancer types.
‘Let’s Go After This Thing and Fight’ Urges a Long-Time Survivor of Early-Onset CRC
January 27th 2022

‘Let’s Go After This Thing and Fight’ Urges a Long-Time Survivor of Early-Onset CRC

Jamie Cesanek
In this episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, a woman living with colorectal cancer who was diagnosed 14 years ago at age 29 discusses what it was like to be the youngest person in the treatment room, and how she found another community of young survivors.
Medical test.
April 22nd 2025

Oncodetect Test Aims to Detect Recurrence Risk Across Solid Tumors

Spencer Feldman
The Oncodetect test detects molecular residual disease across solid tumors using circulating tumor DNA to inform recurrence risk and treatment decisions.
The first patient with metastatic colorectal cancer has received TCMCB07 in a phase 2 trial to prevent weight loss in those undergoing chemotherapy: © stock.adobe.com.
April 18th 2025

First Patient with Colon Cancer Dosed in a Phase 2 Study of TCMCB07

Spencer Feldman
The first patient has received TCMCB07 in a phase 2 trial to prevent weight loss in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy.