News Releases & Research Results Genetic backgrounds and lifestyle habits predisposing the Japanese population to gastric cancer: Results of a large-scale trans-ethnic genome analysis in patients with gastric cancer

The results of collaborative research conducted by visiting graduate student (at the time of research) Akihiro Suzuki and Professor Hiroyuki Aburatani of the Genome Science Division, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo; Associate Professor Hiroto Katoh and Professor Shumpei Ishikawa of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Professor Tetsuo Ushiku and Professor (at the time of research) Masashi Fukayama of the Department of Pathology, Professor Yasuyuki Seto of the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine; Professor Yasushi Rino of the Department of Surgery and Professor Atsushi Nakajima of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine; Chief Tatsuhiro Shibata of the Division of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Center Research Institute; and others.

• The research group performed a large-scale genome analysis of 531 (319 Asian and 212 non-Asian) patients with gastric cancer and investigated the somatic mutational patterns, germline variations, lifestyle habits, and the relationships between them.
• The results showed that the combination of an Asian-specific ALDH2 polymorphism (a genotype manifested by the inability to degrade alcohol) and drinking/smoking habits results in the onset of gastric cancer.
• In addition, the research group discovered that pathogenic germline variants of the E-cadherin gene are seen at a high frequency in the Japanese population with gastric cancer.
• The results of the research, which clarified the lifestyle habits and germline variations predisposing gastric cancer, should contribute to the establishment of a more effective intervention for prevention.

This research project was conducted with the support of the Project for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Evolution (P-CREATE) and the Practical Research for Innovative Cancer Control by AMED.

The results of research were published in Science Advances, an American scientific journal, on May 7.

Suzuki A., et al. Defined Lifestyle and Germline Factors Predispose Asian Populations to Gastric Cancer Science Advances
DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aav9778