The OncoDaily Medical Journal is launching a Special Series dedicated to GastroIntestinal Oncology in 2026. This initiative aims to provide clinical, research, and policy communities with a platform to highlight emerging trends, evidence-based innovations, and pressing challenges in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of cancers across the upper gastrointestinal tract. The Special Series is led by two internationally recognized leaders in the field: Yelena Janjigian, Chief of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Filippo Pietrantonio, Head of the GI Unit at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. Accepted manuscripts will be fast-tracked for publication and prominently featured as part of this international effort.
GastroIntestinal Oncology in 2026
Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract remain a major contributor to global cancer mortality, with substantial clinical and epidemiologic variation across regions. In 2026, advances in endoscopic technologies, molecular diagnostics, precision therapeutics, and minimally invasive surgery continue to reshape the care landscape for malignancies such as esophageal and gastric cancers, gastroesophageal junction tumors, small bowel and duodenal cancers, biliary tract cancers, and select neuroendocrine tumors. Yet, significant challenges persist, including late-stage presentation, limited screening programs, diagnostic delays, and disparities in access to specialized care.
The GastroIntestinal Oncology 2026 Special Series seeks to provide a comprehensive scholarly overview of disease burden, early detection opportunities, tumor biology, therapeutic innovations, and system-level strategies that can improve patient outcomes and inform global clinical practice.
Focus Areas for Submissions
- Epidemiology, Screening and Early Detection: Focuses on understanding global trends in upper GI cancer incidence, risk factors, early detection barriers, and opportunities to strengthen screening and diagnostic pathways—particularly in regions with high incidence of esophageal and gastric cancers.
- Healthcare System Disparities and Access to Care: Examines how structural, socioeconomic, and geographic differences influence timely access to endoscopy, pathology, surgical oncology, systemic therapy, and supportive care within diverse health systems.
- Tumor Biology, Molecular Diagnostics and Biomarker Innovation: Investigates molecular profiling, genomic and epigenetic alterations, actionable targets (e.g., HER2, FGFR2, CLDN18.2), liquid biopsy applications, and the role of hereditary predisposition in upper GI cancers.
- Policy, Implementation Science and Health System Strengthening: Analyzes national and regional cancer strategies, workforce development, care coordination, and implementation of high-value interventions to improve early diagnosis and treatment delivery across differing resource settings.
- Therapeutic Advances, Precision Oncology and Multidisciplinary Care Integration: Explores innovations in systemic therapies—including immunotherapy, targeted agents, combination regimens, and biomarker-directed therapies—alongside advancements in surgery, interventional endoscopy, radiation therapy, and multidisciplinary care models.
- Technology, Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence in GI Oncology: Investigates the role of AI-assisted endoscopy, advanced imaging, digital navigation tools, telemedicine, and data-driven decision-support systems in enhancing early detection, staging, treatment planning, and longitudinal cancer care.
Clarified Criteria for Evaluation
Manuscripts will be evaluated based on:
- Innovation – Novel approaches, technologies, clinical insights, or conceptual frameworks that advance gastrointestinal oncology.
- Regional Applicability – Relevance and potential for adaptation within various healthcare systems, including resource-limited environments.
- Impact on Practice or Policy – Demonstrated or potential implications for improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment access, or patient outcomes.
Author Guidelines
Authors submitting to the “GastroIntestinal Oncology in 2026” Special Series are encouraged to:
- Explore how demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors influence upper GI cancer risk, detection, and outcomes.
- Examine implementation of evidence-based interventions in underserved or underrepresented populations, including rural and low-resource regions.
- Provide comparative studies, meta-analyses, or real-world evaluations that yield generalizable insights for improving GI oncology care.
- Highlight scalable models that strengthen early detection pathways, multidisciplinary care structures, and survivorship support for patients with upper GI cancers.
More information about author guidelines and the submission process can be found on our website.