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Author Spotlight: Advancing Early Detection and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors
Published on: February 16, 2024
Role of Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Gastric Carcinogenesis
Manikandan Palrasu1, Elena Zaika1, Wael El-Rifai1,2
1Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Abstract:
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. In contrast to many other tumor types, gastric carcinogenesis is tightly linked to infectious events. Infections with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterium and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are the two most investigated risk factors for GC. These pathogens infect more than half of the world's population. Fortunately, only a small fraction of infected individuals develops GC, suggesting high complexity of tumorigenic processes in the human stomach. Recent studies suggest that the multifaceted interplay between microbial, environmental, and host genetic factors underlies gastric tumorigenesis. Many aspects of these interactions still remain unclear. In this review, we update on recent discoveries, focusing on the roles of various gastric pathogens and gastric microbiome in tumorigenesis.
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