HGF and gastric cancer: Several pathways have a substantial role in gastric cancer development, such as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/ AKT/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/ tyrosine-protein kinase Met (MET) signaling pathway, Janus kinase (JAK)/ signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (STAT) signaling pathway, and Wnt signaling pathway18.