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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 14, 2014; 20(38): 13791-13803
Published online Oct 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i38.13791
Potential prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic markers for human gastric cancer
Ming-Ming Tsai, Chia-Siu Wang, Chung-Ying Tsai, Hsiang-Cheng Chi, Yi-Hsin Tseng, Kwang-Huei Lin
Ming-Ming Tsai, Department of Nursing, Chang-Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Chia-Siu Wang, Department of General Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Chiayi, Taoyuan 613, Taiwan
Chung-Ying Tsai, Hsiang-Cheng Chi, Yi-Hsin Tseng, Kwang-Huei Lin, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Author contributions: Tsai MM, Tsai CY, Chi HC and Tseng YH have substantial contributions to the conception and design, and acquisition of data; Tsai MM wrote and prepared the manuscript; Tsai MM, Wang CS and Lin KH revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content; Lin KH approved the final version to be published.
Supported by Grants from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, No. CMRPF1C0151 and No. CMRPG6D0011
Correspondence to: Kwang-Huei Lin, PhD, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kweisan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan. khlin@mail.cgu.edu.tw
Telephone: +886-3-2118263 Fax: +886-3-2118263
Received: February 28, 2014
Revised: April 18, 2014
Accepted: May 26, 2014
Published online: October 14, 2014
Processing time: 229 Days and 17.4 Hours
Abstract

The high incidence of gastric cancer (GC) and its consequent mortality rate severely threaten human health. GC is frequently not diagnosed until a relatively advanced stage. Surgery is the only potentially curative treatment. Thus, early screening and diagnosis are critical for improving prognoses in patients with GC. Gastroscopy with biopsy is an appropriate method capable of aiding the diagnosis of specific early GC tumor types; however, the stress caused by this method together with it being excessively expensive makes it difficult to use it as a routine method for screening for GC on a population basis. The currently used tumor marker assays for detecting GC are simple and rapid, but their use is limited by their low sensitivity and specificity. In recent years, several markers have been identified and tested for their clinical relevance in the management of GC. Here, we review the serum-based tumor markers for GC and their clinical significance, focusing on discoveries from microarray/proteomics research. We also review tissue-based GC tumor markers and their clinical application, focusing on discoveries from immunohistochemical research. This review provides a brief description of various tumor markers for the purposes of diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics, and we include markers already in clinical practice and various forthcoming biomarkers.

Keywords: Tumor marker; Prognosis; Gastric cancer; Serum-based; Tissue-based

Core tip: Serum-based gastric cancer tumor markers and their clinical significance or application are discussed. Serum-based carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carbohydrate antigen 72-4 and tissue-based human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/Neu are potential tumor markers for various types of gastrointestinal cancer. This review provides a brief description of various tumor markers for the purposes of diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics, and we include markers already in clinical practice and various forthcoming biomarkers. Hopefully, based on the markers, we will generate accurate diagnoses, prognoses and select the most appropriate therapy.