Update on molecular biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of prognosis and treatment responses in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and its high mortality rate is a serious problem in many regions. To improve prognosis, it is necessary to identify novel biomarkers for the early detection of GC, along with its prognosis, risk of metastatic recurrence, and predicted response to chemotherapy, and to develop individualized treatment strategies. Advances in microarray and sequencing techniques have led to the elucidation of cancer-related gene mutations and aberrant expression levels, which have deepened our knowledge of GC. Further searches for sensitive biomarkers are needed to improve the management of patients with GC. In this review article, we update the current knowledge of GC biomarkers, examine recently published literature, and introduce some representative molecules.