Handbook of Gastrointestinal Cancers is a practical guide to the management of colorectal, pancreatic, hepatocellular, gastric, and esophageal cancers as well as other cancers of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Edited by a multidisciplinary group of oncologists from leading institutions, this book is an essential day-to-day reference for evidence-based treatment and patient care. The handbook focuses on treatment strategies and approaches to cancerous gastrointestinal tumors that are transforming the recent oncological landscape, including expert-given guidance on methods such as neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy, surgical transplant, radiation therapy, molecular diagnostic testing leading to molecularly targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. With so many advances in the current field, it is increasingly difficult for early-career practitioners to grasp the entirety of practices and for seasoned oncologists to keep up with newly approved therapies, side effects to treatments, and special clinical management considerations, but this handbook addresses it all. Organized by major gastrointestinal disease sites and featuring “How I Treat” case vignettes from world experts for common and uncommon management considerations, the handbook brings an experience-based perspective to these tough-to-treat areas. The treatment strategies and applications set forth in the chapters are pertinent to situations and decision-making encountered in practice. Handbook of Gastrointestinal Cancers is a valuable resource for medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and surgeons treating and managing gastrointestinal cancers as well as trainees in medical, radiation, and surgical oncology programs needing an accessible point of care resource. KEY FEATURES: Provides treatment plans and recommendations for each stage of a range of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic, and hepatocellular cancers plus more Includes “How I Treat” patient vignettes told from the physician’s point of view within each clinical chapter Outlines special considerations for the elderly and for survivors of gastrointestinal cancers Highlights important clinical guidance on nutritional and palliative concerns commonly seen in patients with gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with high rate of global cancer incidence and cancer-related death. Gastrointestinal cancers include esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer, which all, except the last one, are covered in this volume. The fourth volume of the “Interdisciplinary Cancer Research” series, entitled “Gastrointestinal Cancers: An Interdisciplinary Approach” publishes comprehensive volumes on mechanisms of gastrointestinal cancers and novel immunotherapy opportunities and presents the most updated and peer-reviewed chapters on gastrointestinal cancers therapy. This interdisciplinary series is of special value to researchers working on cell biology, immunology, biochemistry, genetics, and practitioners working on oncology and gastroenterology. This is the main concept of Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), which is a part of Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN). This interdisciplinary book will be of special value for researchers, oncologists, and gastroenterologists who wish to extend their knowledge on gastrointestinal cancers.

This Recent Results in Cancer Research volume provides an up-to-date overview of the multidisciplinary management of locally confined rectal cancer as well as colorectal cancer with synchronous resectable liver metastases. The contents comprise the majority of the invited contributions from the Second St. Gallen EORTC Gastrointestinal Cancer Conference, held on 6-8 March 2014 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Written by some of the world’s leading experts in the imaging, endoscopy, pathology, molecular biology, surgery, radiotherapy and medical oncology of rectal cancer and liver metastases, the chapters offer a comprehensive view on the latest recommendations in diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment. Every clinician involved in the care of patients with rectal cancer will find this book interesting and helpful.

This up-to-date, hands-on manual offers clear guidance on contouring and treatment planning for both standard and advanced radiation therapy in patients with gastrointestinal cancers and simultaneously draws together the available relevant clinical data for each type of cancer with a view to driving treatment recommendations. The full range of malignancies is covered, including esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatic, biliary, colon, rectal, and anal cancers and pelvic recurrences. Additional chapters are devoted to stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to the liver for metastatic disease. The management of gastrointestinal cancers with radiation therapy has become increasingly complex. Specifically, the emergence of new techniques such as SBRT and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has further increased the need to understand how to contour targets and organs at risk, how to perform safe treatment planning, and when to apply these technologies. In this context, Radiation Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers represents an ideal reference for both established clinical radiation oncologists and radiation oncology residents.

Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have received a lot of attention to treat gastrointestinal cancers. Compared with traditional treatments, immunotherapy can kill cancer cells by activating the antitumor immunity, the specific recognition of cancer antigens preventing normal cells from being attacked. However, the application of ICIs is accompanied by a series of specific toxic reactions caused by the functional stimulation of the immune system, which are called immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Early identification and timely intervention to handle irAEs are usually required to maximize the therapeutic effect of ICIs. In addition, related surgical complications after neoadjuvant immunotherapy is increasingly reported. Thus, although immunotherapy has shown obvious advantages in the clinical treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, the safety and potential risks of such treatment have to be considered. Many clinical studies have shown that cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy experience different degrees of immune-inflammatory reaction, immune disorders, immune-related pneumonia, and other adverse events. In addition, some patients suffering from irAEs during the treatment have to face a delayed operation or even lose the opportunity to be operated. Finally, because the clinical imaging manifestations of immunotherapy are complex and diverse, the imaging evaluation criteria have so far not been standardized. The aim of this Research Topic is to report disputes and challenges of immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastrointestinal cancers. We welcome original research articles, Review articles, Mini Reviews, and Case reports. Preferred topics include but are not limited to the following: • Timely discovery of immune-related adverse events during immunotherapy • Identification and differentiation between immune-related adverse events and adverse drug events • Treatment and drug withdrawal timing upon immune-related adverse events • Management of related surgical complications after neoadjuvant immunotherapy • Imaging evaluation criteria or methods of immunotherapy efficacy

Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common cancer types, based on the Cancer Genome Atlas. GI cancers are within the most frequent malignancy, with almost 150.000 new cases in 2020. On one hand a big number of researches are focused on the diagnosis, new diagnostic approaches in upper and lower gastrointestinal tract cancers. On the other hand in the last 10 years several papers had been published about the possible therapeutic targets, pointing to precision and personalized medicine.

Gastrointestinal cancer is one of the most prevalent causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. Recent research demonstrates that phytochemicals are critical in preventing and managing gastrointestinal cancer. The increased intake of phytochemicals could reduce the risk of cancer by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis and autophagy, and suppressing angiogenesis as well as cancer cell metastasis. These mechanisms are also known to counter Helicobacter pylori infection and modulate gut microbiota. There is preliminary data suggesting that daily supplementation with high doses of certain vitamins combined with conventional therapeutic agents may enhance their growth inhibitory effects on tumor cells and protect normal tissues against some of their toxic effects. This book attempts to fill gaps on the role of phytonutrients in the treatment of cancer in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). It discusses the action of individual vitamins on cellular and molecular parameters and describes how vitamins inhibit protein kinase C activity, increase the production of certain growth factors, and modulate the expression of a number of oncogenes. The book is divided into 2 parts. The first part summarizes the pathophysiology of GIT cancers and introduces readers to anticancer phytonutrients. A chapter on the status of FDA approved nutraceuticals rounds up this section. The second part of the book provides a systematic review on the different plant derived chemicals that can be used to treat GIT cancer. Each chapter in this section focuses on a specific type of phytochemical agent and its molecular mechanisms relevant to the disease. This book will give the reader a holistic view of gastrointestinal cancer treatment and the value of natural compounds in developing functional food and drugs for preventive medicine.