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.

Related Videos
Image of man with grey hair.
Image of woman with black hair.
Image of a smiling woman with brown hair.
Image of a woman with short brown hair, wearing glasses.
Image of man with brown hair.
Image of woman with blonde hair.
Image of a woman with brown shoulder-length hair, wearing a khaki colored blazer.
Image of a man wearing a black button-up shirt.
Image of man with black hair.
Image of a man with dark hair and some facial hair.
Related Content
Image of a smiling woman with brown hair.
December 20th 2024

How to Self Advocate When Insurance Says No to Cancer Treatment Coverage

Ashley Chan
When insurance denies coverage of cancer treatment, patients with cancer don’t need to take no for an answer, an expert explained.
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.
Image of Dr. Brandon Blue.
December 17th 2024

Black Patients With Myeloma Face Taste, Skin Side Effects from Talvey

Alex Biese
Black patients may be more affected by certain side effects from Talvey compared with White patients with multiple myeloma, an expert told CURE®.
‘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.
‘Too Young For Cancer’ Author on the Importance of Advocating for Yourself
December 5th 2024

‘Too Young For Cancer’ Author on the Importance of Advocating for Yourself

Alex Biese
Author and kidney cancer survivor Katie Coleman explains why patients with cancer need to advocate for themselves when navigating the medical system.
Image of Dave Coulier.
December 4th 2024

Expert Explains Lymphoma After Dave Coulier's Diagnosis

Alex Biese
An expert from the CURE® advisory board explains the likely treatability of Dave Coulier’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma.