Jang J, et al. - By performing this nested case–control study with 238 gastric cancer cases and 238 matched controls within the Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort, researchers determined whether gastric cancer development can be predicted by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)–stimulating signaling pathways related to cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA). For highest quartile HGF (≥ 364 pg/mL) vs lowest quartile HGF (< 167 pg/mL), they found a sequential rise of gastric cancer risk according to HGF level increase. They also identified that high HGF level measured even 6 or more years before cancer diagnosis was related to a significantly increased gastric cancer risk. The highest gastric cancer risk was observed in relation to the group with both high risk of HGF and CagA-related genetic variants vs the group with both low risk of HGF and genetic variants. Overall, HGF was suggested as a potential biomarker to foretell gastric cancer development.