Gene variation may be an early indicator for gastric cancer

This study is proposing that if you are carrying this particular allele, you are more likely to have an aggressive type of response to the bacteria that can result in complications, " said study senior author Dr.Juanita L. Merchant,Regents Professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at theUArizona College of Medicine – Tucson.In the United States, H. pylori is more prevalent in Hispanics, African Americans and the elderly. Merchant cited data suggesting that 1-3% of people with H. pylori will develop gastric cancer and that the cure rate is around 30%, which is low compared with some other types of cancer.Current diagnosis of stomach or gastric cancer requires the patient to undergo an upper endoscopy, in which a doctor looks for signs of cancer and takes a tissue sample for analysis.For years, Merchant and colleagues have been investigating new ways to diagnose stomach cancer in its earliest stages. In 2020,they published research on a promising biomarker that appears in some patients before stomach cancer develops.The new study focused on the molecular pathways that control the activation of immune cells in response to H. pylori infection, specifically the action of toll-like receptor 9, known as TLR9.Located within immune cells, TLR9 signals the immune system when to fight an infection. However, H. pylori infection can constantly trigger TLR9 activation over long periods of time, leading to chronic inflammation. The long-term presence of inflammat...
Source: The University of Arizona: Health - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Source Type: research