Professor Suet Yi Leung, Dr Helen Yan & Multinational Team Maps the First Steps of Stomach Cancer
- COI
- Apr 21
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 17
Photos by: LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU
The Centre for Oncology and Immunology (COI) is proud to announce a major milestone in cancer research, achieved through a collaborative study through Prof. Suet Yi Leung and Dr Helen Yan from Centre for Oncology and Immunology (COI) and the Department of Pathology at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) with the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
In the study titled “The somatic mutation landscape of normal gastric epithelium”, published in Nature, the team analysed genetic mutations in stomach lining tissue with large-scale genomic sequencing of more than 1,000 samples of various ethnicities for the first time. They sequenced whole genomes from 238 samples and performed targeted sequencing on an additional 829 samples from individuals with and without stomach cancer in Hong Kong, the United States and the United Kingdom.
This study provided a detailed analysis of somatic mutations in normal stomach tissue, uncovering the earliest genetic changes that may lead to cancer. It explored the transition from age-related mutations to those that initiate cancer, offering new insights into how cancer begins at the cellular level. Furthermore, it contributed to a broader mutation map of normal tissues across the gastrointestinal tract—including the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon. By comparing mutation rates and processes across these regions, scientists can better understand the fundamental mechanisms of cellular evolution and cancer development. These insights are crucial for advancing early detection and prevention strategies.
Prof. Suet Yi Leung, Co-Director of COI and co-leader of this project, explained, “Our multinational team found that individuals with long-term stomach inflammation had significantly more mutations or extra chromosomes, indicating the potential role of inflammation in shaping a pre-cancer environment from an early age.”
COI congratulates all collaborators on this landmark achievement. Their work exemplifies the power of international scientific partnerships and reinforces our commitment to driving innovation in cancer research for the benefit of patients worldwide. We thank the Wellcome Trust and the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation for their generous funding, as well as the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong SAR Government for supporting this project.
