Worldwide, gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and oesophageal cancer is the ninth most common cancer, and gastric cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death and oesophageal cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer death (Global Cancer Observatory, 2020). The etiology of oesophageal cancer, especially of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, has been the subject of great interest, but because of the low number of cases available, most of the Working Group’s research activity has focused on gastric cancer.
A multifactorial and multistep model of gastric carcinogenesis is currently accepted, with different factors involved at different stages in the cancer process. Pathogenesis differs between cardia and non-cardia gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori infection is probably a necessary condition for non-cardia gastric cancer, but it is not associated with cardia gastric cancer. Initially, the main activities within the Working Group focused on the role of different aspects of H. pylori infection, such as H. pylori strains, and the interaction of H. pylori with the host’s genetic makeup, as well as other environmental factors, notably diet, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking. Later, the Working Group’s research interests turned to the role of obesity or body composition and dietary patterns, mainly those related to inflammation and body iron status. Recently, the Working Group has also considered the potential protective effect of bioactive compounds and micronutrients (polyphenols, selenium) and exploring the potential role of metabolomics.
Selected publications
- Jayasekara H, MacInnis RJ, Lujan-Barroso L, Mayen-Chacon AL, Cross AJ, Wallner B, et al. (2021). Lifetime alcohol intake, drinking patterns over time and risk of stomach cancer: a pooled analysis of data from two prospective cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 148(11):2759–73. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.33504 PMID:33554339
- Sanikini H, Muller DC, Sophiea M, Rinaldi S, Agudo A, Duell EJ, et al. (2020). Anthropometric and reproductive factors and risk of esophageal and gastric cancer by subtype and subsite: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Int J Cancer. 146(4):929–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.32386 PMID:31050823
- Agudo A, Cayssials V, Bonet C, Tjønneland A, Overvad K, Boutron-Ruault MC, et al. (2018). Inflammatory potential of the diet and risk of gastric cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Am J Clin Nutr. 107(4):607–16. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy002 PMID:29635497
- Jakszyn P, Fonseca-Nunes A, Lujan-Barroso L, Aranda N, Tous M, Arija V, et al. (2017). Hepcidin levels and gastric cancer risk in the EPIC-EurGast study. Int J Cancer. 141(5):945–51. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.30797 PMID:28543377
- Steffen A, Huerta JM, Weiderpass E, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, May AM, Siersema PD, et al. (2015). General and abdominal obesity and risk of esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int J Cancer. 137(3):646–57. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29432 PMID:25598323
- Sanikini H, Dik VK, Siersema PD, Bhoo-Pathy N, Uiterwaal CS, Peeters PH, et al. (2015). Total, caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea intake and gastric cancer risk: results from the EPIC cohort study. Int J Cancer. 136(6):E720–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29223 PMID:25236393
- Fonseca-Nunes A, Agudo A, Aranda N, Arija V, Cross AJ, Molina E, et al. (2015). Body iron status and gastric cancer risk in the EURGAST study. Int J Cancer. 137(12):2904–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29669 PMID:26135329
- Buckland G, Travier N, Huerta JM, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Siersema PD, Skeie G, et al. (2015). Healthy lifestyle index and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in the EPIC cohort study. Int J Cancer. 137(3):598–606. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29411 PMID:25557932
- Espinosa-Parrilla Y, Muñoz X, Bonet C, Garcia N, Venceslá A, Yiannakouris N, et al. (2014). Genetic association of gastric cancer with miRNA clusters including the cancer-related genes MIR29, MIR25, MIR93 and MIR106: results from the EPIC-EURGAST study. Int J Cancer. 135(9):2065–76. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.28850 PMID:24643999
- Agudo A, Bonet C, Sala N, Muñoz X, Aranda N, Fonseca-Nunes A, et al. (2013). Hemochromatosis (HFE) gene mutations and risk of gastric cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Carcinogenesis. 34(6):1244–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgt045 PMID:23389292
Contact details/Working Group leader
Dr Antonio Agudo
Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology
Nutrition and Cancer Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL)
L’Hospitalet de Llobregat
Barcelona, Spain
a.agudo@iconcologia.net