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Hans Rueffert is truly a voice of experience. As a fifteen-year gastric cancer survivor, Hans shares a brief video message about the urgency of our work and the impact of your support.
Grant Awarded for Dana-Farber Study of "Chromosomal Instability" in Gastric Cancer
Gastric tumors with a genetic abnormality called microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) can be treated with immune-targeted drugs, but there’s a much more common form of disordered DNA in stomach tumors that’s not as well understood. It’s called “chromosomal instability” (CIN), and the Gastric Cancer Foundation has awarded a new one-year grant to researchers who are studying this abnormality in gastric cancer—and looking for potential drug targets related to it.

The Foundation has awarded $75,000 to the lab of Adam Bass, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, which will be used to fund early-stage research focused on finding new therapies for CIN-driven gastric tumors.

“One of the things we’re trying to do is gain a better understanding from cancer genome data so we can characterize and categorize chromosomal instability,” Bass says. “Then we can figure out what’s unique about this process in gastric cancer. By building metrics to classify and refine understanding of CIN we will be more able to define novel therapeutics to address it.”
Adam Bass, MD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
“We’re building something we think is innovative and important—this grant is making that feasible.”
- Adam Bass, M.D.
Research Roundup
researcher wearing mask
Pandemic shutdowns haven’t interrupted scientists searching for new treatments and preventive measures for gastric cancer. Here are some recent research advances:

A late-stage trial of Bristol Myers’ Squibb immuno-oncology drug Opdivo found an improvement in disease-free survival in patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer who had undergone chemoradiation and surgery.

Epstein-Barr virus is known to raise the risk of gastric cancer, but how? Researchers in Japan led a study that explained how the virus rewires the epigenome to drive the formation of stomach tumors. The findings could lead to new drug targets, they believe.

In a lifestyle study of more than 3,000 people, garlic supplementation was associated with a lower risk of gastric cancer mortality—but only among people who did not drink alcohol. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
The Gesundheit Kitchen Presents:
A Balanced Diet for Strong Bones
In our newest nutrition episode, Foundation board member and "Chef without a Stomach," Hans Rueffert, brings registered dietitian, Ellen Steinberg, back to the Gesundheit Kitchen to discuss osteoporosis and how the body absorbs vitamins and minerals like Calcium and Vitamin D to keep bones strong.

Have you tried one of Hans's recipes? Share it with us! Want more nutritional information from Hans and Ellen? Find more episodes at the Gesundheit Kitchen on gastriccancer.org.
The Gesundheit Kitchen is a nutrition series produced by the Gastric Cancer Foundation, featuring board member and “Chef without a Stomach” Hans Rueffert. Chef Hans and other experts share nutritional tips and tasty meals that anyone can enjoy - with or without a stomach.

This project is supported by an educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc
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