Targeting the hepatocyte growth factor/mesenchymal epithelial transition pathway in gastric cancer: biological rationale and clinical applications.

Advanced gastric cancer (GC) is a dreadful disease with a poor prognosis and the majority of patients die within 1 year of diagnosis. In the past decade, important signaling pathways promoting tumor proliferation and aggressiveness have been evaluated; the hepatocyte growth factor/mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) pathway is one of the most promising pathways in that regard. This pathway has been evaluated in preclinical and early clinical settings of GC. From the very early studies, MET expression has been recognized as an important poor prognostic marker in GC. However, only after the development of MET-targeting agents, it became important in terms of antitumor therapy with the clinical evaluation of several MET-targeting agents in GC. The results of the ongoing multicenter studies evaluating MET-targeting agents are eagerly awaited as they may improve our understanding of the precise role of these agents in the treatment armamentarium of advanced GC.