Alessandro Cappellani ¹, Antonio Zanghi¹ , Maria Di Vita¹ , Ernesto Zanet², Pierfrancesco Veroux³, Bruno Cacopardo⁴, Andrea Cavallaro5, Gaetano Piccolo¹, Emanuele Lo Menzo^6, Paolo Murabito ⁷ and Massimiliano Berretta²

1University of Catania, Department of Surgery, General and Breast Surgery Unit , University Hospital of Catania, Italy,²Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute - IRCCS, Aviano (PN), Italy,³University of Catania, Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Advanced Technologies; Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit , University Hospital of Catania, Italy,⁴University of Catania, Department of Internal Medicine, "Garibaldi-Nesima" Hospital, University of Catania, Catania Italy, ⁵University of Catania, Research Fellow in Surgical Pathology, ⁶University of Maryland, Division of Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery, Baltimore, MD, USA, ⁷Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Catania University Hospital, Catania, Italy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract

2. Introduction

3. Markers primarily related to screening and carcinogenesis

3.1. HP

3.1.1. HP virulence factors

3.2. Host factors

3.3. Pepsinogen (PG)

3.4. E-cadherin gene(CDH-1)

3.5. p-16

3.6. Microsatellite instability (MSI)

3.7. hMLH1 gene

3.8. Reprimo

4. Markers related to advanced gastric cancer

4.1. Classic biomarkers:

4.1.1. CEA

4.1.2. Ca 19.9

4.1.3. Ca 72-4

4.1.4. MG7aG

4.1.5. Ki-67

4.2. p53

4.3. p21

4.4. bcl-2

4.5. Matrix metalloproteinases

4.6. Phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten/mutated in multiple advanced cancers 1 (PTEN/MMAC1 gene)

4.7. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA)

4.8. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)

4.9. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF.

4.10. Insulin-like growth factor type I receptor (IGF-IR)

4.11. K-sam-II gene

4.12. C-Met gene

4.13. Phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A)

4.14. Survivin

4.15. Aurora Kinase A (AURKA)

4.16. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX -II)

4.17. MASPIN