Taking aim at the genomic diversity of gastrointestinal cancers: a changing landscape

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are responsible for approximately 1 of every 5 diagnosis with cancer and 1 of every 4 deaths from cancer (1). They encompass a largely heterogeneous and molecularly diverse group of cancers. The process for identifying targets that are “druggable” in this group is only very recent. Back in 2001, the cover of Time magazine featured imatinib as the new generation of revolutionary cancer killing agents that hit their target and spare normal cells. Fifteen years following this historical cover, the revolution towards a “new world order” in the treatment of GI cancers may be finally underway.