Gastric cancer can be classified into four subtypes based on the molecular characterization of 295 primary adenocarcinomas, report investigators with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network online July 23 in Nature.
With the goal of developing classifiers that can ultimately guide patient therapy, the investigators propose four major genomic subtypes of gastric cancer: Epstein-Barr virus–infected tumors, microsatellite unstable tumors, genomically stable tumors, and chromosomally unstable tumors. Identification of these subtypes provides a road map for patient stratification and trials of targeted therapies, the network of investigators said.
The full report, Comprehensive Molecular Characterization of Gastric Adenocarcinoma, is available through open access at nature.com (doi: 10.1038/nature13480).
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