[Molecular targeting agents for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer patients].

The combination of fluoropyrimidine and platinum with or without epirubicin or docetaxel has been regarded as standard chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer patients. Recently, trastuzumab with conventional chemotherapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor(HER)2 positive gastric cancer patients was proved to be effective in terms of survival benefit and has become one of standard treatment options. Other molecular target agents, such as HER1, HER2, vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met, fibroblast growth factor and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors were and are being evaluated in clinical trials. However, no agents other than trastuzumab have shown clear survival benefit. The predictive biomarker seems to be necessary for developing new molecular targeting agents for gastric cancer with heterogeneity.