hTERT expression and C-MYC activation in the gastric mucosa in humans with gallbladder operations

Aim: Animal studies report that acidified bile acids increase tumor progression and telomerase activity in gastric cancer through c-MYC activation. The aim of the study is to investigate whether bile acids can be considered among the causes of stomach cancer in people who have undergone gallbladder surgery, and if yes, its mechanism and whether it has a place in cancer screening. Material and Methods: 32 stomach cancer patients, 34 cholecystectomy patients and 34 control patients were included. Biopsies were taken by endoscopic method. Samples were stored at -80 ̊C until processing. Total RNA Isolation and cDNA Synthesis were performed from tissue samples. The relative expressions of c-MYC and hTERT genes at the mRNA level were analyzed. Results: Distant metastasis was observed in 14 of the stomach cancer cases. No significant difference was found between c-MYC (p: 0.753) and hTERT (p: 0.866) in stomach cancer cases with and without metastasis. While c-MYC expression and hTERT decreased in the gallbladder group compared to the control group, c-MYC increased significantly in the cancer group. In the hTERT cancer group, a decrease was observed compared to the control group, although it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: If people who have undergone gallbladder surgery have a familial history of stomach cancer and a cancer tendency, gallbladder surgery should be included among other etiological factors in terms of stomach cancer risk.