Advances in MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors in gastric cancer

Abstract

Gastric cancer is among the most frequently occurring cancers and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Because gastric cancer is highly heterogenous and comprised of different subtypes with distinct molecular and clinical characteristics, the management of gastric cancer calls for better-defined, biomarker-guided, molecular-based treatment strategies. MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase mediating important physiologic processes, such as embryogenesis, tissue regeneration, and wound healing. However, mounting evidence suggests that aberrant MET pathway activation contributes to tumour proliferation and metastasis in multiple cancer types, including gastric cancer, and is associated with poor patient outcomes. As such, MET-targeting therapies are being actively developed and promising progress has been demonstrated, especially with MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This review aims to briefly introduce the role of MET alterations in gastric cancer and summarize in detail the current progress of MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors in this disease area with a focus on savolitinib, tepotinib, capmatinib, and crizotinib. Building on current knowledge, this review further discusses existing challenges in MET alterations testing, possible resistance mechanisms to MET inhibitors, and future directions of MET-targeting therapies.