What have researchers discovered about gastric cancer and genes?

Imagine that genes are like instructions in our body that tell cells how to function. Sometimes, these instructions can have small “errors” or changes. This study analyzed whether certain genetic changes in gastric cancer tumors can influence how the disease progresses and how patients respond to treatment.

How did they do this?

Researchers analyzed in detail 21 genes from tumor samples taken from 87 gastric cancer patients. All these patients had undergone surgery to remove the tumor and had received chemotherapy.

What important findings did they have?

1. Four key genes: They found that significant changes (called “pathogenic variants” or “variants of uncertain significance” – meaning they are either known to be harmful or their effect is not yet fully clear) occurred more often in four specific genes: BRCA2, CDH1, RHOA, and TP53. Approximately one-third of patients (33%) had at least one such change in one of these genes.
2. Link to risks: Patients who had changes in any of these four genes had a higher risk of the disease returning (relapse) and, unfortunately, a higher risk of death, compared to patients who did not have these genetic changes.
3. Combined impact: When they analyzed the combined effect of these four genes, the researchers observed that patients who had at least one change in any of them lived for a shorter period without signs of disease and had shorter overall survival than those without these changes.
4. Other important factors: In addition to these genetic changes, other factors were also linked to a less favorable disease progression. These include a more advanced stage of the tumor at the time of diagnosis.

What does this mean for patients? Why is it important?

• Understanding disease aggressiveness: This research shows for the first time a strong link between these four genes and how gastric cancer evolves. It suggests that there are different “paths” that gastric cancer can follow, and some forms may be more aggressive due to these genetic factors.
• Towards more personalized treatments (precision oncology):
  • If a patient is known to have these high-risk genetic changes, doctors might decide that more intensive treatment or closer monitoring is needed after surgery and chemotherapy.
  • On the other hand, patients who do not have these high-risk genetic changes could, in the future, benefit from less aggressive treatments. This could help reduce unnecessary side effects without compromising the chances of recovery.

In conclusion:

This study provides very useful information about how certain “errors” in our genes can influence the prognosis of gastric cancer. It is an important step towards developing more personalized treatments, tailored to the genetic characteristics of each patient’s tumor. This could lead to better decisions regarding the type and intensity of treatment required.

Source Medscape