title: Pathogenetic mechanisms in gastric cancer.
abstract: Gastric cancer (GC) is a major public health issue as the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Recent advances have improved our understanding of its molecular pathogenesis, as best exemplified by elucidating the fundamental role of several major signaling pathways and related molecular derangements. Central to these mechanisms are the genetic and epigenetic alterations in these signaling pathways, such as gene mutations, copy number variants, aberrant gene methylation and histone modification, nucleosome positioning, and microRNAs. Some of these genetic/epigenetic alterations represent effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC. This information has now opened unprecedented opportunities for better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of gastric carcinogenesis and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for this cancer. The pathogenetic mechanisms of GC are the focus of this review.
authors.affiliation: Jing Shi, Yi-Ping Qu, Peng Hou, Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Jing Shi, Yi-Ping Qu, Peng Hou, Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Jing Shi, Yi-Ping Qu, Peng Hou, Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Epigenetic alterations; Gastric cancer; Genetic alterations; Risk factors; Signaling pathways