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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2014; 20(43): 16159-16166
Published online Nov 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i43.16159
Published online Nov 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i43.16159
Mitochondrial DNA alterations in the progression of gastric carcinomas: Unexplored issues and future research needs
Luciana Rigoli, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Rosario Alberto Caruso, Department of Human Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Author contributions: Rigoli L reviewed the literature and drafted the manuscript; Caruso RA conceived the topic and produced the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Luciana Rigoli, MD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Piazza Pugliatti 1, 98122 Messina, Italy. lrigoli@unime.it
Telephone: +39-90-2213108 Fax: +39-90-2213788
Received: March 25, 2014
Revised: May 21, 2014
Accepted: June 26, 2014
Published online: November 21, 2014
Revised: May 21, 2014
Accepted: June 26, 2014
Published online: November 21, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous disease with multiple environmental etiologies and alternative pathways of carcinogenesis. Somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations and variable mtDNA copy number are involved in gastric tumorigenesis. The aim of this article is to review the growing literature on the mtDNA changes in gastric carcinomas and in their precancerous conditions. Furthermore, the authors describe which research questions remain unexplored, and suggest future research directions.