title: Exploring the role of molecular biomarkers as a potential weapon against gastric cancer: A review of the literature.
abstract: Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health problem and a major cause of cancer-related death with high recurrence rates ranging from 25% to 40% for GC patients staging II-IV. Unfortunately, while the majority of GC patients usually present with advanced tumor stage; there is still limited evidence-based therapeutic options. Current approach to GC management consists mainly of; endoscopy followed by, gastrectomy and chemotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy. Recent studies in GC have confirmed that it is a heterogeneous disease. Many molecular characterization studies have been performed in GC. Recent discoveries of the molecular pathways underlying the disease have opened the door to more personalized treatment and better predictable outcome. The identification of molecular markers is a useful tool for clinical managementin GC patients, assisting in diagnosis, evaluation of response to treatment and development of novel therapeutic modalities. While chemotherapeutic agents have certain physiological effects on the tumor cells, the prediction of the response is different from one type of tumor to the other. The specificity of molecular biomarkers is a principal feature driving their application in anticancer therapies. Here we are trying to focus on the role of molecular pathways of GC and well-established molecular markers that can guide the therapeutic management.
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matboli
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Nakeep
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nourhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hossam
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Habieb
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed E M
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Azazy
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ali E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ebrahim
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: Marwa Matboli, Nourhan Hossam, Alaa Habieb, Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 113331, Egypt.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abdel-Rahman
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Bioinformatics; Biomarkers; Gastric cancer; Molecular therapy; Targeted therapy