September 12, 2018 – H. pylori test hints at risk factor for stomach cancer
Helicobacter pylori, a specific strain of bacteria found more often in East Asian patients may be a risk factor for stomach cancer. Doctors want to identify who is most at risk for cancer carrying out a pilot study that would shape treatment and screening strategies for patients infected with this bacterium. Dr. Nina Salama considers that the global differences in stomach cancer risk can be partly attributed to differences in H. pylori itself. One way that H. pylori varies is in the CogA gene which encodes a toxin that helps the bacterium better attach to cells lining the stomach.