Four Subtypes of Gastric Cancer

Clinical Pearls

Adam Bass, MD, assistant professor, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, provides an overview of the four subtypes of gastric cancer identified in a recent study.

• The 4 main subtypes identified were Epstein—Barr virus (EBV)-positive, microsatellite unstable, genomically stable, and chromosomal instable.
• Approximately 10% of tumors were classified in the EBV-positive subtype. This was the most actionable subtype identified.
• Tumors in the microsatellite unstable subtype had malfunctions in DNA repair mechanisms.
• 30% of tumors in the genomically stable subtype had alterations in the RHOA pathway.
• The chromosomal unstable subtype could possibly be treated with drugs that are currently available or are in the late stages of development.