In recent years, several pivotal studies demonstrated the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. In colorectal cancer, immunotherapy has shown particularly impressive results in tumors characterized by high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR). The STELLAR-303 trial, a phase 3 trial in patients with advanced colorectal cancer without microsatellite instability-high or dMMR tumors (Hecht et al.), now provides first evidence that an immunotherapy-based regimen with zanzalitinib and atezolizumab allows somewhat better overall survival compared with regorafenib. These results prompt renewed discussion about the potential role of immunotherapy-based approaches for the broader treatment landscape of colorectal cancer in the future.

Beginning with this issue, and alongside our established critical expert opinions, we are introducing a new feature in which 10 selected publications are highlighted as Editors’ Choice as shown below. This designation is intended to help readers more readily to identify articles of particular relevance and interest within each issue. Further developments and new content can be expected in forthcoming editions.

We hope you will find the articles in this issue both informative and inspiring.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Hasselblatt and Tobias Böttler
Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Freiburg (Germany)