Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer encompasses a range of malignancies that originate in the digestive system, which together represent the most common form of cancer diagnosed worldwide. However, despite numerous advances in both diagnostics and treatment, the incidence and mortality rate of GI cancer are on the rise. Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that increase in number under certain pathological conditions, such as infection and inflammation, and this expansion is of particular relevance to cancer. MDSCs are heavily involved in the regulation of the immune system and act to dampen its response to tumors, favoring the escape of tumor cells from immunosurveillance and increasing both metastasis and recurrence. Several recent studies have supported the use of MDSCs as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in patients with cancer, and potentially as a novel treatment target. In the present review, the mechanisms underlying the immunosuppressive functions of MDSCs are described, and recent researches concerning the involvement of MDSCs in the progression, prognosis, and therapies of GI cancer are reviewed. The aim of this work was to present the development of novel treatments targeting MDSCs in GI cancer in the hope of improving outcomes for patients with this condition.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide, and gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) are considered as the major factor for resistance to conventional radio- and chemotherapy. Accumulating evidence in recent years implies that GCSCs regulate the drug resistance in GC through multiple mechanisms, including dormancy, drug trafficking, drug metabolism and targeting, apoptosis, DNA damage, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize current advancements regarding the relationship between GCSCs and drug resistance and evaluate the molecular bases of GCSCs in drug resistance.