DNA methyltransferases and gastric cancer: insight into targeted therapy.

Gastric cancer is a major health problem worldwide occupying most frequent causes of cancer-related mortality. In addition to genetic modifications, epigenetic alterations catalyzed by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are a well-characterized epigenetic hallmark in gastric cancer. The reversible nature of epigenetic alterations and central role of DNA methylation in diverse biological processes provides an opportunity for using DNMT inhibitors to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutics.