The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Mortality rate in gastric cancer high’

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Monday, Jul 21, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Mortality rate in gastric cancer high’

Asian Institute of Gastroenterology’s research centre inaugurated

healthy initiative: Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology president Fock Kwong Ming after inaugurating a research centre in Hyderabad on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: Why are Indians not as prone as Chinese or Japanese to gastric cancer in spite of widespread presence of Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria categorised as ‘class-I’ carcinogen by the World Health Organisation in the population?

Are dietary habits, such as intake of turmeric, or genetic factors responsible for low incidence of gastric cancer in the country, compared to China, Korea and Japan?

These are some aspects which will be investigated at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology’s Centre for Translational Research and Basic which was inaugurated here on Sunday by president of Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology Fock Kwong Ming.

Prof. Ming later told reporters that the incidence of gastric cancer varied from low to very high in 17 Asian countries. About a million cases were reported world over each year. The mortality rate in gastric cancer was quite high and it was the second most common cause of death among cancers.

He said eradication of H. pylori could prevent gastric cancer. Medicines for it should be administered at the age of 45 years, as it would re-emerge if given earlier.

MoUs signed

AIG director D. Nageshwar Reddy said the centre would take up research on diseases peculiar to the country. The institute had already entered into MoUs with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), NIN, National Centre for Cell Sciences. He said the centre had begun work on a major project relating to pancreatic islet cell transplantation for diabetes mellitus.

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