Nanoparticle-based Traditional Chinese Medicine for Immunotherapy in Gastrointestinal Tumors

The combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) nanoparticles with modern immunotherapy presents a promising approach to enhancing the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. TCM nanoparticles can significantly augment the efficacy of conventional immunotherapies by enhancing immune cell activation, modulating the tumor microenvironment, and overcoming immune evasion mechanisms. This review explores the integration of TCM nanoparticles with existing immunotherapy strategies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and cytokine therapies. It also summarizes the progress in preclinical studies and clinical trials, analyzing their efficacy and safety profiles. Current research indicates that this combinatory approach has shown substantial improvements in anti-tumor immune responses in animal models, with promising early-stage clinical trial results demonstrating favorable safety and potential therapeutic effects. However, further large-scale clinical trials are necessary to confirm its clinical efficacy and safety. Future studies should focus on optimizing treatment regimens and identifying suitable patient populations to advance the clinical application of TCM nanoparticle-based immunotherapy in gastrointestinal cancers.