Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2: a therapeutic target in gastric cancer

Abstract

Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) is preferentially amplified and overexpressed in the diffuse type of gastric cancer. This review evaluates the expression and function of FGFR2 in gastric cancer, and analyzes the use of its inhibitors for gastric cancer therapy. This review also discusses the limitations of FGFR2-based therapy, and envisages future developments toward the clinical applications of FGFR2.

Keywords::

• apoptosis
• drug resistance
• fibroblast growth factor
• fibroblast growth factor receptor 2
• gastric cancer
• growth
• prognosis
• target
• therapy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was supported in part by grants from the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China (81100714, 81171923), the Foundation of Shaanxi Province Science and Technology research (2012KJXX-20) and the Top PhD Foundation of China (201075). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• • Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, and effective target therapy is urgently needed.

• • FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) is preferentially amplified and overexpressed in the diffuse-type gastric cancer.

• • Inhibitors of FGFR2 can induce growth inhibition, apoptosis and drug sensitivity of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

• • Inhibitors of FGFR2 show synergistic anti-tumor effects for gastric cancer cells in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs.

• • FGFR2 is considered as one valuable target for gastric cancer treatment.

• • More clinical trials should be performed to promote the use of FGFR2 in clinic.