Implications of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer phenotypes have been associated with various gene alterations. To identify the phenotypes and basis of gastric cancer, precise information about genetic mutations and molecular associations is needed. Cadherin 1, type 1, E-cadherin (epithelial) (CDH1), one of the most commonly mutated genes, is closely involved in phenotypic transitions in gastric cancer. In this review article, we intensively discuss gene alterations and molecular networks in gastric cancer focusing on both CDH1 and gastric cancer phenotypic diversity [including cancer stem cells (CSCs)] associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).