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Journal of Peking University (Health Sciences) ›› 2026, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (2): 231-238. doi: 10.19723/j.issn.1671-167X.2026.02.001

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Bottlenecks and breakthroughs in gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment: Towards a new era of precision and intelligent integration

Jiafu JI1,*(), Jingtao WEI2, Ke JI2, Zhaode BU1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
    2. Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
  • Received:2026-02-03 Online:2026-04-18 Published:2026-02-25
  • Contact: Jiafu JI

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Abstract:

Gastric cancer constitutes a significant global health burden, and its clinical management is undergoing a critical transition from a traditional experience-driven paradigm toward the deep integration of precision medicine and artificial intelligence (AI). At present, the main bottleneck has shifted from a lack of therapeutic options to insufficient capacity for precise clinical decision-making. In recent years, diagnostic approaches have seen marked advances through the application of AI-augmented endoscopy, radiomics, molecular subtyping, and liquid biopsy, reflecting progress in both precision and intelligence. Therapeutically, notable strides have been made in function-preserving strategies for early-stage disease, multimodal perioperative management for locally advanced cancer, and biomarker-guided stratified therapy for advanced gastric cancer. However, challenges persist, including low early-detection rates, inaccurate staging, difficulties in treatment personalization, and delayed assessment of therapeutic response. The future of gastric cancer care lies in the synergistic combination of precision medicine and AI technologies: leveraging multi-omics and other precision tools to delineate tumor biology, while deploying intelligent systems across the entire continuum from screening and diagnosis to treatment selection and follow-up. This integrated approach is key to establishing a more efficient clinical framework and ultimately improving patient survival outcomes.

Key words: Stomach neoplasms, Precision medicine, Artificial intelligence

CLC Number: 

  • R735.2
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