Yale Scientist to Probe Causes of Early-Onset Gastric Cancer with Foundation Seed Grant

In many countries around the world, the incidence of gastric cancer has increased in people under the age of 40, even as cases of the disease and mortality are falling in older patients. Early-onset stomach tumors are known to have diverse causes, symptoms and molecular characteristics, but they’re so poorly understood that oncologists have little guidance on how best to treat young patients with gastric cancer.

Raghav Sundar, MD, PhD, hopes to change that. The Gastric Cancer Foundation has awarded a $100,000 seed grant to Sundar for a research project aimed at understanding the differences between early-onset and average-onset gastric cancer. Sundar, associate professor of medicine (medical oncology) at Yale School of Medicine and member of Yale Cancer Center, believes the insights he gains could inspire novel treatment approaches that will improve outcomes in young patients.

This grant – one of two $100,000 grants the Gastric Cancer Foundation awarded recently – is part of our mission to bridge the funding gap for researchers focused on gastric cancer who are in the early- and mid-stages of their careers. The seed grants are designed support research into novel diagnostics and treatments for this challenging disease, allowing researchers to gather valuable data they can use to apply for larger grants to further advance their projects.

Along with Luo Wenyi, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology, Yale School of Medicine, Sundar’s first goal is to define how the expression of eight specific biomarkers in gastric tumors differs between early-onset and average-onset cancer. The biomarkers include tumor targets such as HER2 and CLDN18.2, as well as immune biomarkers like PD-L1. His team also plans to characterize the tumor microenvironment in early- and average-onset gastric cancer, specifically focusing on immune cells. Read More >>

Partner with Researchers through the Gastric Cancer Registry

The Gastric Cancer Registry collects important information about individuals who have been impacted by gastric cancer, including patients and their family members. The registry makes its database of sophisticated clinical and genomic information available to all researchers free of charge through the specialized Genome Explorer.

By enrolling in the registry, people who have been diagnosed with gastric cancer have an opportunity to contribute to research in a way that no one else can. This powerful tool for research is paving the way to breakthroughs in the development of new diagnostics and treatments.

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Hans and Dr. Ellen head outdoors to talk about a simple aid to digestion – taking a walk! There is conclusive evidence that walking after a meal lowers blood glucose levels – and it just feels great! Be your own best advocate and encourage yourself to do the things you can do to feel good.

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Research Roundup

Drug repurposing, genetic discoveries and the importance of screening for H. Pylori have been hot topics in gastric cancer research of late:

An epilepsy drug could prolong the effectiveness of chemotherapy in gastric cancer patients, researchers in China demonstrated in a study published in Nature. They showed that the drug, stiripentol, may reverse chemotherapy resistance by inhibiting a gene that produces lactate, which they discovered is abundant in cancer tissues that don’t respond to chemo.

A study of Dutch patients with the hereditary condition Lynch Syndrome, published in the Lancet, found that the risk of gastric cancer increases significantly at age 70 among individuals with three specific gene variants. The researchers suggested that further research be undertaken to investigate the cost-effectiveness of routine screening for the disease among this population.

A study of nearly 6,000 gastric cancer patients revealed that Hispanic patients are not only diagnosed at younger ages than other groups, they also have high rates of H. Pylori infection. The authors concluded that H. Pylori screening in Hispanics could reduce the risk of gastric cancer in this population.

Gastric Cancer Community Events Spread Hope and Awareness

A group of devoted swimmers braved San Francisco Bay on September 22nd for the 6th Annual Swim for Sara. Thank you to all the swimmers, friends, and donors for supporting this year's event, which raised over $100,000 in Sara's Schottenstein's memory! The funds make a significant difference in Gastric Cancer Foundation’s mission to support patient education initiatives and research studies. Jeff Schottenstein says of the event, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for celebrating Sara's beautiful life and spirit.”

The third annual It Takes Guts - Gastric Cancer Foundation Charity Classic, hosted by Southern Pickleball, begins November 22nd in Rome, Georgia. Last year’s tournament raised $20,000 for Gastric Cancer Foundation’s vital programs. This year, the tournament is dedicated to Don Plante, a member of the pickleball family who recently lost his battle to stomach cancer.

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