Published online Oct 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i38.13741
Revised: January 13, 2014
Accepted: May 23, 2014
Published online: October 14, 2014
Processing time: 353 Days and 21.9 Hours
Trastuzumab that targets human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein is the only approved molecular targeting agent for treating gastric cancer in Japan and the outcomes have been favorable. However, trastuzumab is effective for only 10% to 20% of the population with gastric cancer that expresses HER2 protein. Molecular targeting therapy with bevacizumab against vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and with cetuximab and panitumumab against the epidermal growth factors pathway that have been approved for treating colorectal cancer are not considered effective for treating gastric cancer according to several clinical trials. However, ramucirumab that targets VEGF receptor-2 prolonged overall survival in a large phase III clinical trial and it might be an effective molecular targeting therapy for gastric cancer. The significance of molecular targeting therapy for gastric cancer remains controversial. A large-scale randomized clinical trial of novel molecular targeting agents with which to treat gastric cancer is needed.
Core tip: So far, trastuzumab is the only molecular targeting therapy that has been approved for treating gastric cancer. The significance of molecular targeting therapy for gastric cancer remains controversial, but large scale randomized clinical trials might confirm the benefits of other novel molecular targeting therapies for gastric cancer in the near future.