The Role of MUC1 in Gastric Cancer Development

Gastric cancer (GC) remains the most common malignancy and the main cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Due to its asymptomatic beginning, most gastric cancer cases are diagnosed in the advanced stages, which is connected with poor outcomes. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of early preventive and screening strategies for GC. A full understanding of GC pathogenesis, including examining key factors participating in cancer progress, is important. MUC1 is a glycoprotein that is highly overexpressed in most epithelial tumors, including gastric tumors. MUC1 presents a specifically altered glycosylation pattern, which is important for the creation of a cancerous environment. This mucin has been proposed as a biomarker for predicting GC outcomes. This review summarizes the involvement of MUC1 in GC progression.