Application strategies of immune checkpoint inhibitors in perioperative therapy of locally advanced gastric cancer

At present, immunotherapy has become the standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer. The exploration of immunotherapy in perioperative therapy of locally advanced gastric cancer is a hotspot in recent years. The 5‑year survival rate of advanced gastric cancer is still low even after surgical treatment. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy can improve the survival time of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer, while neoadjuvant chemotherapy can reduce tumor progression and prolong survival time. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors are currently widely used in the perioperative treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer, they also face many problems such as indications for application, target audience, and management of efficacy related complications. The author summarizes the current clinical research results related to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced gastric cancer, and elaborates on the current application status and clinical issues based on own clinical experience.