Immunotherapy for Gastric Cancer
Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment approach for advanced gastric cancer (AGC), driven by advances in understanding the tumor microenvironment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly anti-PD-1/PD-L1 agents, enhance antitumor immune responses by blocking inhibitory signals that suppress T cell activity, leading to effective cancer cell destruction with manageable toxicity. This strategy, often combined with conventional therapies, shows improved outcomes compared to monotherapy, especially given the intrinsic resistance of many gastric cancers to single-agent treatments. Other immunotherapeutic approaches include tumor vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, and nonspecific immunomodulators. Despite encouraging results, challenges remain due to the complexity and heterogeneity of the immune microenvironment, necessitating further research to optimize efficacy and identify predictive biomarkers.
