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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 14, 2014; 20(34): 11991-12006
Published online Sep 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i34.11991
Methylation-mediated gene silencing as biomarkers of gastric cancer: A review
Jun Nakamura, Tomokazu Tanaka, Yoshihiko Kitajima, Hirokazu Noshiro, Kohji Miyazaki
Jun Nakamura, Tomokazu Tanaka, Yoshihiko Kitajima, Hirokazu Noshiro, Kohji Miyazaki, Department of Surgery, Saga University Faculty of Medicine, Saga 849-8501, Japan
Yoshihiko Kitajima, Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization Higashi-Saga Hospital, 7324 Harakoga, Miyaki Town, Saga 849-0101, Japan
Author contributions: Nakamura J and Tanaka T contributed equally to this work; Nakamura J and Tanaka T wrote the paper; Kitajima Y, Noshiro H and Miyazaki K designed our previous research included in this manuscript.
Correspondence to: Jun Nakamura, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, Saga University Faculty of Medicine, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan. nakamurj@cc.saga-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-952-342349 Fax: +81-952-342019
Received: October 26, 2013
Revised: January 29, 2014
Accepted: April 8, 2014
Published online: September 14, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: This article summarizes the current understanding and recent evidence regarding DNA methylation markers in gastric cancer (GC) and includes our previous works. Current diagnostic and therapeutic tools of GC have not been successful in decreasing the global burden of this disease; however, it is promising that the early diagnosis and careful selection of patient subsets prior to initiating chemotherapy is a key factor for improving the outcomes of patients with GC. Methylation biomarkers would be useful for different purposes, including early detection, classification, assessment of the tumor prognosis, the development of therapeutic strategies and patient follow-up.