title: The Immune Revolution in Gastrointestinal Tumours: Leading the Way or Just Following?
abstract: The encouraging results in immunotherapy for melanoma also led the way for translational and clinical research about immune-related mechanisms possibly relevant for gastrointestinal tumours. It is in fact now evident that the immune checkpoint modulation and in particular cell-mediated immune-response through programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4) receptors along with the regulatory T cells activity all have a relevant role in gastrointestinal cancers as well. This review aims to explore the state of the art of immunotherapy for gastrointestinal tumours, deepening recent scientific evidence regarding anti PD-1/PDL-1 and anti CTLA4 monoclonal antibodies, peptide based vaccine, DNA based vaccine, and pulsed dendritic cells, either alone or in combination with other antineoplastic medical therapy and locoregional treatments. Considering the non-negligible toxicity profile deriving from such a treatment approach, predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy in gastrointestinal cancer are also urgently needed in order to better select the patients' group with the highest likelihood of benefit.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, University of Cagliari, University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puzzoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Silvestris
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO, IRCCS, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, University Hospital, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giampieri
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, University Hospital, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Faloppi
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, University of Cagliari, University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Demurtas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Campus BioMedico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dell'Aquila
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO, IRCCS, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Oronzo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio Ken
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Garattini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ongaro
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, University of Cagliari, University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Astara
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, University of Cagliari, University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orgiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aprile
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Campus BioMedico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, University of Cagliari, University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy. marioscartozzi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scartozzi
mesh_terms: D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*