(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)Myths like ulcers are caused by stress diet or genetics hinder early detection of stomach cancer according to Nobel Laureate Professor Dr Barry James Marshall who arrived in the UAE capital to attend the Third International Oncology Conference.
The professor from the University of Western Australia said that residents must become well-informed educated and aware of the prevention of stomach cancer as waiting for symptoms to begin treatment for stomach-related problems will put life in danger. Dr Marshall who is the only Nobel Laureate born in Western Australia gave an exclusive interview to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the two-day event held on September 10 and 11 at The Ritz Carlton Grand Canyon on the importance of Helicobacte pylori test which help prevent stomach cancer. The conference was inaugurated under the patronage of Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan Minister of Culture Youth and Social Development and the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Dr Marshall who has also received a number of other awards during his impressive career including The Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research The Buchanan Medal of the Royal Society and The Benjamin Franklin Medal told Khaleej Times that although the region is developing dynamically in medical science there still needs to be a greater awareness on cancer prevention particularly stomach cancer. "There is a great importance of testing for Helicobacter which is the stomach bacteria that causes ulcers" he said adding that "however ulcers are very easy to look after because patients often receive symptoms such as stomach pains." "The hidden part of the equation is that Helicobacter affects many people who don't feel unwell they don't even know that they have it" he added. Dr Marshall pointed out that although one may not feel common symptoms they are still at risk of developing gastric cancer if they don't pay attention to Helicobacter. "The question is why do you worry about those people if they don't really have any symptoms? The answer is they are probably at the risk of developing stomach cancer." Dr Marshall received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2005 for his finding that Helicobacter pylori causes peptic ulcers a clinical breakthrough as it linked the bacterium to stomach cancer. However scientists often ridiculed Dr Marshall's findings as they believed that it was impossible for bacteria to survive in an acidic stomach. His discovery was opposed to the years in medical doctrine holding which first believed that stress diet and acid in the stomach caused ulcers. "We used to always worry that ulcers are caused by stress diet or genetics all those things turn out to be not very important" he said. The professor added that the UAE is developing heavily in medical research thus there needs to be constant awareness on cancer prevention especially for the elder generation. "We never really used to worry about that in the past because people didn't live for so long in developing countries and in the Middle East. "But nowadays life expectancy has risen so between the years of 50 and 80 there is an exceptional increase in stomach cancer risk if you have Helicobacter and its the people who don't have the symptoms at risk." Dr Marshall highlighted that people in the capital should make use of the highly developed medical treatments. "I think that at this stage in the Middle East people are quiet knowledgeable about Helicobacter and in Abu Dhabi you have access to medical tests so its pretty much like Australia" he added. He advised that a regular checkup is therefore a key element to a healthy life. "The best strategy is when you have a health check you also have a screening test for Helicobacter such as breath test or blood test." Dr Marshall also shed light on how the cancer could have affected his own family if early prevention wasn't taken. "About five years ago I thought that I should have my parents checked and turned out they both had Helicobacter they also didn't have symptoms. I treated them with antibiotics because they would have had the risk of developing stomach cancer."
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