(Press-News.org) Gastric cancer, a significant global health burden, claims over 7% of cancer-related deaths annually. Although only 1-3% of cases have a genetic basis, understanding these genetic drivers is crucial for developing preventative strategies.
Gastric cancer, a formidable foe in the global health arena, casts a long shadow over millions of lives each year. While its tendrils reach far and wide, a distinct subset – hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) – emerges as a particularly aggressive and enigmatic adversary. This group of cancers, accounting for roughly 10% of all gastric cancer cases, exhibits a chilling pattern of familial clustering, hinting at a deeper genetic melody playing beneath the surface.
Unravelling the secrets of HDGC has led scientists to a crucial player: the CDH1 gene. This gene, the blueprint for a protein called E-cadherin, acts as the glue that binds cells together, forming the tight-knit communities that make up healthy tissues.
Mutations in CDH1 disrupt this delicate dance, causing cells to lose their grip and embark on a journey of uncontrolled growth – the hallmark of cancer. Over 100 unique mutations in CDH1 have been identified, each a discordant note in the symphony of a healthy genome. In roughly 40% of families burdened by HDGC, these mutations act as the conductor, orchestrating the tragic progression of the disease.
However, the story of HDGC is not solely etched in the pages of the CDH1 gene. Other players, like CTNNA1 and MAP3K6, join the chorus, adding layers of complexity to the genetic landscape of this cancer. Like a misplaced instrument, each gene mutation contributes to the disharmony that defines HDGC.
Understanding this intricate interplay of genetic factors remains a key challenge, but it holds immense promise for unlocking new avenues of prevention and treatment.
Despite the lingering mysteries, a beacon of hope shines through – prophylactic total gastrectomy (PTG). This surgical procedure, though drastic, offers a life-saving option for individuals with a ticking time bomb of CDH1 mutations and a family history of HDGC. By removing the stomach, the potential breeding ground for cancer, PTG effectively silences the discordant melody and prevents the tragic symphony from playing out. While PTG comes with its own set of challenges, it stands as the only definitive preventive measure currently available for these high-risk individuals.
The battle against HDGC is far from over. Unravelling the complexities of its genetic drivers, deciphering the supporting roles of other genes, and refining our understanding of the interplay between genetics and environment are crucial steps in the fight. With continued research and unwavering dedication, we can hope to one day rewrite the script of HDGC, replacing its tragic verses with a triumphant chorus of prevention and cure.
See the article:
Mokhtari-Esbuie F, Szeglin B, Rouhani Ravari M, et al. Pioneering use of genetic analysis for CDH1 to identify candidates for prophylactic total gastrectomy to prevent hereditary diffuse gastric cancer. eGastroenterology 2023;1:e100017. doi:10.1136/egastro-2023-100017
About eGastroenterology
eGastroenterology is a new, open-access, and open peer-reviewed BMJ Journal, which focuses on basic, clinical, translational, and evidence-based medicine research in all areas of gastroenterology (including hepatology, pancreatology, esophagology, and gastrointestinal surgery).
For more information, please visit: egastroenterology.bmj.com and follow us on Twitter (@eGastro_BMJ).
Sign-up to Email Alerts for eGastroenterology: https://emails.bmj.com/k/Bmj/jausu/egastroenterology
END
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University showed that visual aids which create the illusion of movement, like a screen placed in front of one’s hand showing the hand move, can improve motor performance and the early stages of motor learning. Compared to observing third-person motions, functional near-infrared spectroscopy data also showed greater changes in brain activity in regions associated with motor learning. Findings like this might inform new treatment strategies for hemiplegic stroke patients.
Visual-motor illusion (VMI) is the curious illusion of watching your body move even while it is still. ...
Every holiday season, Americans buy nearly 30 million live Christmas trees. Many families enjoy not only having a live tree inside their homes but also smelling the fresh fragrance it creates. That smell comes from chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, little is known about how much is emitted and whether they have any health impacts.
“Our nose is a good chemical sensor,” said Dustin Poppendieck, an environmental engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). “We know that these trees are emitting something, ...
Recent research suggests that the emergence of tuberculosis infection in human populations dates back tens of thousands of years earlier than previously known cases in the Middle East. In collaboration with an international research team, Hungarian researchers have edited and published a special issue of the journal Tuberculosis.
In July 2022, the Department of Anthropology of the University of Szeged organised a conference on the paleopathology and evolution of tuberculosis. The ICEPT3 conference was closely linked to the NRDI-best funded research project of György ...
WELLESLEY, MA – Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in cognitive outcomes and neurodevelopmental disorders, but the influence of gut microbial metabolism on typical neurodevelopment has not been explored in detail.
Researchers from Wellesley College, in collaboration with other institutions, have demonstrated that differences in the gut microbiome are associated with overall cognitive function and brain structure in healthy children. This study – published today in Science Advances – is a part of the Environmental Influences ...
HMRI and University of Newcastle researcher, Professor Murray Cairns, along with his Precision Medicine team have discovered a way of predicting who will respond to blood pressure treatments to lower sodium in the body. Their findings were published this week in Circulation, a prestigious international cardiology journal.
Professor Cairns says, “High blood pressure – or hypertension related disease – kills up to 20 per cent of people. At least 30 per cent of the adult population has it – that’s ...
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 22, 2023 – A new study indicates that severity of amyloid deposition in the brain — not just age — may be key to determining who will benefit from new anti-amyloid therapies to delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
University of Pittsburgh clinicians and scientists report that the accumulation of toxic amyloid beta clumps that signal Alzheimer’s disease pathology accelerates in old age but the baseline amyloid burden and the overall brain health going into this acceleration ...
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Vizient Southern States, a membership alliance for not-for-profit health care providers, awarded Jason Hill, MD, MMM, clinical innovation officer, Ochsner Health, the 2023 Brilliance Award as a result of being selected to present at the 2023 Connections Summit.
This year, six Vizient Southern States’ members were selected to share their stories of success with a national audience of Vizient members. Selected abstracts showcased their organization’s projects that demonstrated ...
This whirling image features a bright spiral galaxy known as MCG-01-24-014, which is located about 275 million light-years from Earth. In addition to being a well-defined spiral galaxy, MCG-01-24-014 has an extremely energetic core known as an active galactic nucleus (AGN) and is categorized as a Type-2 Seyfert galaxy. Seyfert galaxies, along with quasars, host one of the most common subclasses of AGN. While the precise categorization of AGNs is nuanced, Seyfert galaxies tend to be relatively nearby and their central AGN does not outshine its host, while quasars are very distant AGNs with incredible luminosities that outshine ...
Researchers at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Physics with colleagues from Stanford University and Oklahoma State University have introduced a quantum-inspired phase imaging method based on light intensity correlation measurements that is robust to phase noise. The results of the research have been published in the prestigious journal “Science Advances”. The new imaging method can operate even with extremely dim illumination and can prove useful in emerging applications such as in infrared and X-ray interferometric imaging and quantum and matter-wave ...
When you eat a large meal, your stomach sends signals to your brain that create a feeling of fullness, which helps you realize it’s time to stop eating. A stomach full of liquid can also send these messages, which is why dieters are often advised to drink a glass of water before eating.
MIT engineers have now come up with a new way to take advantage of that phenomenon, using an ingestible capsule that vibrates within the stomach. These vibrations activate the same stretch receptors that sense when the stomach is distended, creating an illusory sense of fullness.
In animals who were given this ...
