Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2014; 20(25): 8092-8101
Published online Jul 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i25.8092
Metabolomic studies of human gastric cancer: Review
Naresh Doni Jayavelu, Nadav S Bar
Naresh Doni Jayavelu, Nadav S Bar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N7491 Trondheim, Norway
Author contributions: Jayavelu ND, Bar NS designed the research; Jayavelu ND performed the research; Jayavelu ND wrote the paper; Bar NS supervised the research.
Supported by Research Council of Norway, NO.70174300
Correspondence to: Naresh Doni Jayavelu, Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 1, N7491 Trondheim, Norway. nareshd@chemeng.ntnu.no
Telephone: +47-7359-1559 Fax: +47-7359-6100
Received: May 19, 2013
Revised: July 20, 2013
Accepted: August 4, 2013
Published online: July 7, 2014
Processing time: 410 Days and 6.8 Hours
Abstract

Metabolomics is a field of study in systems biology that involves the identification and quantification of metabolites present in a biological system. Analyzing metabolic differences between unperturbed and perturbed networks, such as cancerous and non-cancerous samples, can provide insight into underlying disease pathology, disease prognosis and diagnosis. Despite the large number of review articles concerning metabolomics and its application in cancer research, biomarker and drug discovery, these reviews do not focus on a specific type of cancer. Metabolomics may provide biomarkers useful for identification of early stage gastric cancer, potentially addressing an important clinical need. Here, we present a short review on metabolomics as a tool for biomarker discovery in human gastric cancer, with a primary focus on its use as a predictor of anticancer drug chemosensitivity, diagnosis, prognosis, and metastasis.

Keywords: Metabolomics; Gastric cancer; Chemosensitivity; Metastasis; Biomarkers; Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Liquid/gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

Core tip: This article presents a short review on metabolomics as a tool for biomarker discovery in human gastric cancer, with a primary focus on its use as a predictor of anticancer drug chemosensitivity, diagnosis, prognosis, and metastasis.