New-Generation Monoclonal Antibodies and Inhibitors in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer: Recent Findings and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most common disease worldwide and approximately one million people are diagnosed as having gastric adenocarcinoma. Each year, nearly 700,000 people lose their lives because of GC. Several altered molecular pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of GC, which can be targeted by specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In recent years, the use of mAbs has provided considerable success in the treatment of cancer. Such mAbs are laboratory-produced molecules that incur changes to precisely bind to specific sites. These drugs are similar to naturally produced antibodies as part of our immune system’s response. They play an important role in the treatment of many diseases, such as the different types of cancer. In cancer therapy, bispecific antibodies are used for targeting immune effector cells to destruct tumor cells (cancer immunotherapy) or neutralize two different pathways through inactivation on the level of either receptors or ligands. It seems that the development of this type of therapeutic agents to effectively treat a variety of cancers such as GC, is inevitable. The aim of the present study was to describe molecular-targeted therapy by using new-generation mAbs and inhibitors for the treatment of GC.