胃肠道（GI）癌症是全球人口中最常见的癌症之一，与乳腺癌和肺癌相比，其死亡率高，生存率低。鉴定GI癌症中的有用分子靶点对于改善诊断、预后和治疗结果至关重要，然而，该领域目前存在着靶向性和药物输送系统不佳的限制。在生物标志物鉴定、靶向作用和药物/抑制剂输送系统领域，常常使用适配体。与抗体相比，适配体具有天然与化学修饰的结合能力、亲和力高和特异性强等优势，因此适配体在潜在的早期诊断成像和药物递送应用方面备受青睐，并已被研究证明可用作药物递送剂和早期分子诊断和检测探针来治疗癌症。本综述旨在首先描述适配体的生成、特性和分类，同时提供有关其在诊断和医学成像、预后和抗癌药物递送系统中最新应用的见解。此外，它还主要讨论了相关的分子靶标和相关的分子机制，以及它们在治疗GI癌症中的潜在应用。此外，该综述揭示了适配体在临床环境中治疗GI癌症方面的当前应用。总之，适配体是多功能分子，可有效用作抗癌剂或药物递送系统用于治疗GI癌症，并值得进一步探索其临床应用。© 作者

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most common cancers that impact the global population, with high mortality and low survival rates after breast and lung cancers. Identifying useful molecular targets in GI cancers are crucial for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcomes, however, limited by poor targeting and drug delivery system. Aptamers are often utilized in the field of biomarkers identification, targeting, and as a drug/inhibitor delivery cargo. Their natural and chemically modifiable binding capability, high affinity, and specificity are favored over antibodies and potential early diagnostic imaging and drug delivery applications. Studies have demonstrated the use of different aptamers as drug delivery agents and early molecular diagnostic and detection probes for treating cancers. This review aims to first describe aptamers' generation, characteristics, and classifications, also providing insights into their recent applications in the diagnosis and medical imaging, prognosis, and anticancer drug delivery system of GI cancers. Besides, it mainly discussed the relevant molecular targets and associated molecular mechanisms involved, as well as their applications for potential treatments for GI cancers. In addition, the current applications of aptamers in a clinical setting to treat GI cancers are deciphered. In conclusion, aptamers are multifunctional molecules that could be effectively used as an anticancer agent or drug delivery system for treating GI cancers and deserve further investigations for clinical applications.© The author(s).