In the last decade, the use of immunomodulating treatments (IMT) at integrative oncology providers (IOP) increased. IMTs are used to modulate the tumor microenvironment, which might lead to increased response-to-treatment, and the indication of immune checkpoint inhibitors might also be widened. The efficacy and safety of IMTs in advanced/metastatic gastrointestinal cancers were compared with conventional chemo(radio)therapy (CT). 21 colorectal- (CRC), 14 pancreatic- (PC), 5 cholangiocellular- (CCC), 5 gastric- (GC) and 4 esophageal cancer (EC) patients received IMT. IMT and CT were compared in CRC and PC. CT was administered at an academic oncology center. After the initiation of IMT, a median survival of ~ 20 (CRC, PC and EC) and ~ 10 months (CCC and GC) was observed. Of the IMTs, locoregional modulated electro-hyperthermia had the most positive effect on overall survival (HR: 0.3055; P = 0.0260), while fever-inducing interleukin-2, and low-dose ipilimumab showed a positive tendency. IMT was superior to CT in PC (HR: 0.1974; P = 0.0013), while modest effect was detected in CRC (HR: 0.7797; P = 0.4710). When the whole study population was analyzed, IMTs showed minimal effect on patient survival, still CT had the greatest effect if introduced as early as possible (HR: 0.0624; P < 0.0001). The integrative IMTs in the presented form have mild impact on gastrointestinal cancer patients' survival, however, we observed its benefit in PC, which warrants further investigations.
© 2023. The Author(s).