The Gene-Combo To Determine Stomach Cancer Survival
A new study suggests that four specific genes can provide critical insight into how aggressive stomach cancers might become. Researchers say that screening for mutations in these genes could help doctors customize treatments, potentially sparing some patients from invasive procedures like surgery and chemotherapy. These findings will be presented at an upcoming medical conference in San Diego.
“Stomach cancers are not all the same,” explained Dr. Ulysses Ribeiro, a professor at São Paulo State Cancer Institute in Brazil. Currently, most stomach cancer cases are treated uniformly with surgery and chemotherapy, but Ribeiro and his team hope that identifying genetic differences will allow for more tailored, biologically driven care.
In the study, scientists examined 21 genes from tumor samples of 87 patients who had previously undergone surgery and chemotherapy for stomach cancer. They found that around one-third of the patients carried mutations in four particular genes — BRCA2, CDH1, RHOA, and TP53 — and those with this genetic profile were more likely to experience cancer recurrence or succumb to the disease.
The genetic group included well-known cancer-linked mutations, such as those in BRCA2, along with newly discovered variants. Researchers are now working on integrating these findings into standard lab tests, making it easier and more cost-effective to screen for these high-risk patterns. Ribeiro expressed optimism that these discoveries will pave the way toward more personalized treatment approaches based on the unique biology of each patient’s cancer.
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