New perspectives in molecular and clinical management of gastrointestinal tumors

This volume explores innovative strategies in the molecular and clinical management of gastrointestinal tumors. It begins with recent findings on carcinogenesis, highlighting changes in cyclins and adhesion receptors as potential new gene therapy targets. The next section introduces advanced diagnostic tools, including gastrointestinal hormone receptors, proliferation markers, tumor suppressor proteins, and the multiple drug resistance gene, all of which aid in predicting therapy responses and prognosis. The third section updates successful methods for preventing colorectal carcinoma, emphasizing the role of nutritional factors and pharmacologic agents in risk reduction, alongside fecal occult blood tests and endoscopy for lowering mortality rates. Laparoscopic staging and biopsy of suspicious lymph nodes are crucial for gathering information in esophageal and gastric cancers. Additionally, preoperative chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer shows promise compared to primary surgery. Recent standards in adjuvant treatment for gastrointestinal carcinoma have been established, with new drugs like monoclonal antibodies, thymidylate synthase, and topoisomerase inhibitors, as well as taxoids, undergoing phase I, II, and III trials.