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Swallowing a diagnostic pill

Researchers have developed a tiny capsule that can detect occult blood in the stomach at very low levels, enabling early diagnosis of stomach cancer. The device is non-toxic and acid-safe, and has been shown to be reliable and simple to use.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology·DateDec 4, 2013

Villain stomach bug may have a sweet side

Researchers at Virginia Tech discovered that Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium blamed for health issues like gastritis and gastric cancer, helps balance the stomach's ecosystem and control body weight and glucose tolerance in mice. The findings suggest that H. pylori may provide important metabolic traits required to combat diabetes.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 8, 2013

JCI online early table of contents: Feb. 6, 2012

Research by Sheila Collins and colleagues found that cardiac natriuretic peptides cause white fat cells to take on characteristics of brown fat cells, increasing energy usage. In another study, Anne Müller's team identified a cellular mechanism by which Helicobacter pylori protects against asthma by modulating immune cells.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 6, 2012

Team discovers how a cancer-causing bacterium spurs cell death

A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals how Helicobacter pylori bacteria disrupts mitochondrial function to induce cell death. The researchers found that the bacterial toxin VacA recruits a host protein to activate apoptosis, a process linked to cancer development.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 1, 2011

Stomach bacterium damages human DNA

Research reveals that Helicobacter pylori causes DNA breaks in gastric mucosa cells, triggering genetic mutations and cell death. The study's findings suggest that prolonged infections can lead to exhaustion of the cell's repair response, exacerbating gastric carcinogenesis.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 5, 2011

Low-dose aspirin reduces death rates from range of cancers by between 20 and 30 percent

A study published in The Lancet found that low-dose aspirin reduces mortality from various cancers, including oesophagus, lung, stomach, pancreas, and possibly brain cancer, by 20-30% regardless of dose or smoking status. Benefit is seen with increasing age and may require at least five years of use for significant impact.

Study examines incidence of gastric cancer

A recent study found that gastric cancer incidence has declined globally over the past 30 years for all age groups and races, except for young white adults. The majority of noncardia gastric cancers are attributed to chronic Helicobacter pylori infection.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA·DateMay 4, 2010

Preventing gastric cancer with antibiotics

A large multicenter trial in Japan found that patients with early gastric cancer who received H. pylori antibiotics after surgical resection had a significantly lower risk of developing gastric cancer. Certain strains of H. pylori may carry an increased risk of developing gastric cancer, but more research is needed to fully understand ...

SourceFaculty of 1000·JournalF1000 Medicine Reports·DateMar 12, 2010

New minimally invasive surgery option for patients with stomach cancer

A new study led by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center compares traditional 'open' surgery to laparoscopic gastrectomy, a minimally invasive procedure. The findings demonstrate that laparoscopic surgeries yielded shorter hospital stays and fewer complications after surgery while maintaining similar rates of recurrence-free survival.

SourceMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center·JournalAnnals of Surgical Oncology·DateApr 15, 2009

Gutsy germs succumb to baby broccoli

Eating two and a half ounces of baby broccoli sprouts daily for two months reduced HpSA levels by over 40% in infected individuals, suggesting potential protection against gastritis, ulcers, and stomach cancer. However, the study did not cure infection or eradicate H. pylori colonization.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalCancer Prevention Research·DateApr 6, 2009

Stomach ulcer bug causes bad breath

A recent study discovered that Helicobacter pylori bacteria can be found in the mouths of people with halitosis without showing signs of stomach disease. The researchers found a significant association between the presence of H. pylori and periodontal disease, which is also a cause of bad breath.

SourceMicrobiology Society·JournalJournal of Medical Microbiology·DateNov 24, 2008