East Hospital participates in an ERDF research project on microbiome and immune system factors in gastric cancer prevention

The Pathology Centre at Riga East Clinical University Hospital (East Hospital), in collaboration with the genetic testing company GenEra, is participating in a project on microbiome and immune system factors in the prevention of gastric cancer, launched by the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre (BMC) with support from the European Union Cohesion Policy. These three organisations will collaborate to offer their expertise in areas such as experiments involving animals, molecular research, DNA testing, and tissue analysis to examine how the microbiome and immune system contribute to gastric atrophy and its progression to cancer.

Launched this spring, the project ‘Immune and Microbiome Factors Contributing to Gastric Atrophy: Studies Using Mouse Models and Patient Tissue Analysis’ aims at studying microbiome and immune factors contributing to gastric atrophy and its progression to cancer, using mouse models with damaged gastric cells and the transfer of human gastric microbiome. The transfer process involves transferring naturally occurring human gastric microorganisms to mouse models to understand how these factors and microbiome transfer may influence the development of gastric cancer. The study will provide deeper insights into how the microbiome and the immune system affect the mechanisms of gastric cancer development, offering opportunities to develop new prevention and treatment strategies.

“East Hospital’s participation in this project marks an important step towards the development of personalized medicine in Latvia. Studying the interaction between microorganisms and the immune system will not only allow us to understand how gastric cancer develops but also progress towards a more accurate identification of patients at risk and personalized prevention strategies. This scientific approach holds the promise of significantly reducing the spread of gastric cancer in the future,” points out the project initiator at the East Hospital and Head of the Endocrinology Department at the Gaiļezers inpatient facility, Professor Ilze Konrāde.

East Hospital plays a key role in scientific research and innovation, actively participating in developing progressive treatment methods. “The involvement of the hospital’s Pathology Centre in such an interdisciplinary project demonstrates our ability to combine clinical experience with research to develop new and effective approaches to disease treatment and prevention. The outcomes of this project will not only help improve the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer, but also facilitate the development of new treatment strategies in the future,” emphasises Aija Balode, Head of the Pathology Centre at the East Hospital.

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and it is expected to become even more prevalent by 2040. Gastric atrophy, a precursor lesion for gastric cancer, is most commonly associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection or autoimmune gastritis. Helicobacter pylori can damage the gastric mucosa, causing inflammation and contributing to atrophy. Atrophy is a process in which stomach cells lose their function, which may lead to metaplasia – structural changes in the gastric mucosa that increase cancer risk.

While antibiotics that eliminate H. pylori help lower the risk of stomach cancer, only some infected individuals actually develop cancer. Autoimmune gastritis, a condition that may result in autoimmune atrophy, has been shown to increase the risk of gastric cancer by up to 12%. Therefore, it is crucial to develop new approaches to cancer prevention that integrate both microbiome factors and the role of the immune system in gastric atrophy.

The Pathology Centre of the East Hospital which is involved in the implementation of the project is equipped with cutting-edge technologies and ensures a wide range of diagnostic services, including the diagnosis of cancer, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases.  In collaboration with GenEra and BMC, the Pathology Centre will perform a detailed tissue analysis and contribute to spatial transcriptomics research, which will allow researchers to identify which genes are expressed in different tissue samples and how they may influence the development of gastric cancer. This analysis will provide deeper insights into biological processes and help identify factors contributing to disease progression.

The project aims at developing new strategies for gastric cancer prevention through cutting-edge technology and interdisciplinary approaches, with implementation planned by 30 April 2028.

The project ‘Immune and Microbiome Factors Contributing to Gastric Atrophy: Insights from Mouse Models and Spatial Transcriptomics of Patient Tissues’  (project identification No. 1.1.1.3/1/24/A/034) is co-financed by the EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027 under Specific Objective 1.1.1 ‘Strengthening research and innovation capacity and the introduction of advanced technologies in the overall R&D system’, within Measure 1.1.1.3 ‘Practice-Oriented Research’.

About the East Hospital 

Riga East Clinical University Hospital is the largest and strategically significant multi-profile hospital in the country. The hospital involves five inpatient facilities – Gaiļezers, Latvian Oncology Centre, Biķernieki, Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Centre, and Latvian Infectious Diseases Centre, along with various specialised centres and clinics. The hospital provides highly specialised inpatient and secondary outpatient healthcare, offering multidisciplinary tertiary-level treatment and care in line with modern technology and medical knowledge. Approximately 80% of all cancer patients in Latvia are treated at the hospital. It serves as a practical training base for both Latvian educational institutions and foreign students, providing further education and knowledge transfer to healthcare specialists within and beyond the country. The hospital engages in scientific research and develops innovative methods for patient treatment. As the third-largest employer in the country, the hospital employs around 5000 staff members.