Persons who love to consume red meat on a daily basis may be in for trouble, hints a relatively new study. The study was based on the details uncovered by following almost 500,000 elderly US citizens for almost a decade. It was discovered that only a few of the aforementioned case studies developed esophageal or stomach cancers but the chances for developing this deadly disease remained high for those who consumed a lot of red meat in the course of their daily diet. This was found to be due to certain chemical compounds that emanated from cooking of the meat.

The scientists found that esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was likely to occur in almost 79% of all the participants who were habituated to eat red meat. This particular type of cancer affects the lining of the esophagus, particularly its upper part. Occurrence of carcinoma cells in the upper portion of the stomach known as gastric cardia, had been found to be enhanced in people with the highest amounts of heterocyclic amine (HCA). These chemicals are usually generated when the red meat is cooked using high temperatures like that of grilling the meat over an open flame. HCA has been known to be the cause of cancer in certain laboratory animals too.

The American Journal of Gastroenterology published the study results which were, however, not conclusive that the intake of red meat promotes cancers of the stomach and esophagus.

Dr. Amanda J. Cross, the leader of the study followed the participants all aged between 50 to 71 for a period of ten years. The participants also had to fill in detailed questionnaires pertaining to their diet and method of cooking preferred along with other life style preferences. 215 of the participants were diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma within the decade with 69% of them being from the top 20% bracket of red meat consumers. Of the 454 people affected by gastric cardia cancer, almost 113 belonged to the group of red meat eaters.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A43IG20101105

Dako, the accepted global leader in the field of tissue based diagnostics, has received the go ahead from FDA to expand its use of HercepTest(TM) and HER2 FISH pharmDx(TM) Kit. The patients that can now be tested also include those diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction and metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma, both of which are types of stomach cancer.

Identification of patients likely to be cured by Herceptin (trastuzumab) can be done by Dako’s diagnostic tests as well. The FDA has also accepted the fact that the patients with HER2-positive metastatic stomach cancer or gastroesophageal junction carcinoma can be treated effectively with a combination of Herceptin and chemotherapy. Recent clinical study results show that using the combination can result in a longer survival time than treating the HER2-positive metastatic stomach cancer patient with chemotherapy alone.

Sunil S. Badve, Professor at Indiana University, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (USA) and a diplomat of the American Board of Pathology, says that Dako’s kit of HercepTest(TM) and HER2 FISH pharmDx(TM) can prove to be advantageous in identifying those metastatic stomach cancer patients who can be treated with HER2 targeted Herceptin  therapy. These diagnostic kits help in the selection of the appropriate treatment for about 22% of 21,130 US citizens who are diagnosed with stomach cancer every year.

Lars Holmkvist, the CEO of Dako said that FDA’s approval  have recognized their commitment to developing quality diagnostic tools that aid in the treatment of cancer. The diagnostic kits along with the Herceptin® treatment have already revolutionized breast cancer treatment. He hoped that the same will hold true for HER2-positive stomach cancer.

The FDA approval is based on the screening process conducted on more than 3,700 patients at 122 different sites and across 24 countries. The positive results obtained at this International Phase III Study (ToGA) prompted the FDA to give its approval.

The Kit is available with the CE mark in the European Union.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS46062+21-Oct-2010+HUG20101021