Claudin 18.2: A Promising Biomarker in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating the identification of novel biomarkers for improved diagnosis and treatment. Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2), a tight junction protein predominantly expressed in the gastric mucosa, has emerged as a promising biomarker in gastric cancer research. Aberrant CLDN18.2 expression has been observed in gastric cancer tissues, with minimal expression in normal gastric epithelium. This aberration renders CLDN18.2 a potential diagnostic biomarker, offering utility in distinguishing gastric cancer from benign lesions or healthy tissue. Moreover, high CLDN18.2 expression levels have been associated with adverse clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients, indicating its prognostic significance. Additionally, CLDN18.2 presents an attractive therapeutic target, with monoclonal antibodies targeting CLDN18.2 showing promising results in clinical trials. Despite these advancements, challenges such as assay optimization and validation of CLDN18.2-targeted therapies remain. Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the clinical utility of CLDN18.2 and its integration into routine clinical practice for the management of gastric cancer.