title: Biomarkers and novel agents in esophago-gastric cancer: are we making progress?
abstract: Esophago-gastric cancer (EGC) provides a formidable healthcare challenge. Conventional chemotherapy provides modest survival benefit in patients with advanced disease especially in the second-line setting. The recent paradigm shift in the oncology community towards targeting growth factor pathways and the immune system using novel targeted agents has now demonstrated clinical utility in EGC, but recent trial results have highlighted the complexity of disease pathogenesis and significant challenges remain. Here, we describe the current role of targeted therapies in EGC, and their corresponding biomarkers. We aim to provide a comprehensive review of the current climate of novel agents and their biomarkers in advanced EGC.
authors: a 1 Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors: Asa
authors: A
authors: Dahle-Smith
authors: Russell D
authors: RD
authors: Petty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054316:Biomarkers, Pharmacological / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013534:Survival
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D054316:Biomarkers, Pharmacological
keywords: biomarkers; esophageal cancer; gastric cancer; targeted agents; translational medicine