Otago research into a protein complex that influences different types of stomach cancer has received almost $500,000 from the Health Research Council.
Dr Neumann and Dr Pattison co-lead a laboratory in the university’s pathology department which investigates a protein complex that influences survival from different types of stomach cancer in different ways.
The protein complex is found in many cell types, not just cancer cells, including normal stomach cells and the supportive and immune cells.
Dr Neumann said gastric cancer was treated as one disease, despite there being two main histological subtypes — intestinal and diffuse.
"These projects contribute to a larger research programme which aims to determine some of the mechanisms behind the differences in survival seen in intestinal and diffuse gastric cancer."
By understanding the differences, the duo aimed to find treatments to improve survival for patients with both cancer subtypes.
They hoped to identify new avenues for gastric cancer treatment and direct them to people with cancer which is most likely to respond it to.
"In the clinical trial that described the current gold standard chemotherapy treatment in the curative setting for gastric cancer, only about 50% of patients survive for five years after their treatment," Dr Pattison said.
"So, you can see that there is lots of room for improvement."
Nationally, the council awarded $2.7 million to 11 emerging researchers.
