In vivo and in vitro models of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. With over one million diagnosed cases per year, it is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Since the establishment of cell culture in the early 1900s along with the generation of the first cell lines to study gastric cancer and disease, the breadth of knowledge and resources has grown substantially. A key element of the evolution of modeling for gastric carcinogenesis, in particular, has been the advent of genetic engineering and organoid culture. Genetic engineering has allowed the study of specific genes and “humanizing” model systems for preclinical use, while organoid culture provides a physiologically similar in vitro cell culture of patient-derived tissue. This chapter describes the generation and use of commonly used models in vitro and in vivo to study gastric disease and recent developments in methods and technology.