Biomarker for gastric cancer and other cancer studies set for digestive disease week

Washington (May 14, 2024) — Cancer-related studies, including a diagnostic tool for gastric cancer and trends in gallbladder and colorectal cancers, will be presented this week at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2024. Abstracts are available to registered media, and press releases are available where noted. Studies are embargoed until 12:01 a.m. EDT the day of presentation, unless otherwise noted.

Here are summaries of the new research on the schedule:

Oral microbiome signatures as potential biomarkers for gastric cancer risk assessment, Abstract 949, will be presented Monday, May 20, at 4:15 p.m. EDT.  (A press release is available upon request. Embargoed until 12:01 a.m. EDT on May 9)

Researchers analyzed bacteria samples from the mouths of 98 patients scheduled for endoscopy, including 30 known to have gastric cancer, 30 with premalignant gastric conditions and 38 healthy controls, in a study presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2024. They found distinct differences between the oral microbiomes of the healthy group compared to the cancerous and pre-cancerous patients. They also found very little difference between the samples from pre-malignant patients and those with cancer, suggesting that the changes in the microbiome may occur as soon as the stomach environment starts to undergo changes that can eventually turn into cancer.  The findings suggest that oral bacteria alone could be biomarkers for risk of gastric cancer, a leading cause of cancer deaths, and that a simple oral rinse has the potential to eventually serve as a non-invasive gastric cancer screening tool.

Evolving trends in colorectal cancer incidence among young patients under 45: A 22-year analysis of the Centers for Disease Control Wonder Database, Abstract Mo1149, will be presented Monday, May 20 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. (A press release is available upon request. Embargo lifted at 12:01 a.m. EDT on May 9.)

Researchers analyzed colorectal cancer data from the Centers for Disease Control Wonder Database from 1999 to 2020 by age group. Trends in colorectal cancer incidence from 1999 to 2020 revealed concerning shifts across age groups. The most striking increases occurred among younger individuals, aged 15 to 19 and 20 to 24, with rises of 333% and 185%, respectively, indicating a worrisome surge in cases. Moderate yet notable escalations were seen in the older age brackets, reaching an incidence rate of 6.5 per 100,000 in 2020 for ages 30 to 34 and 11.7 per 100,000 for ages 35 to 39. While the 40-to-44 age group had a comparatively lower percentage increase of 37%, it exhibited the highest incidence rate, peaking at 20 per 100,000 individuals in 2020.

Late-stage gallbladder cancer on the rise in non-Hispanic Blacks: A nationwide 20-year analysis of incidence rates stratified by stage and race, Abstract Mo1164 will be presented Monday, May 20, at 12:30 p.m. EDT. (A press release is available upon request.)

Nationwide data evaluating nearly 98% of gallbladder cancer patients in the U.S. show that gallbladder cancer incidence trends have been decreasing in all race groups except non-Hispanic Blacks who experienced a significant increase in incidence. This increase is driven by tumors diagnosed at a late stage. This study calculated gallbladder cancer incidence rates with data from the U.S. Cancer Statistics database between 2001-2020, age adjusting to the 2000 U.S. population. There were 76,873 patients who were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer between 2001-2020. While gallbladder cancer incidence was increasing at an average 2.7% a year among non-Hispanic Blacks, rates were decreasing in the Hispanic population and stable in non-Hispanic whites.

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Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW is an in-person and online meeting from May 18-21, 2024. The meeting showcases more than 5,600 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at www.ddw.org