ANALYSIS OF MYC GENE EXPRESSION IN TISSUE AND SERUM SAMPLES FROM PATIENTS WITH GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA

• Grant number: 25/20633-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2026
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Human and Medical Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Bruno Takao Real Karia
• Grantee: Nicoly Santana Silva Santos
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide and has a high incidence in Latin America and Asia. Despite therapeutic advances, most CG cases are still diagnosed at advanced stages, significantly compromising prognosis and reducing survival rates. The lack of effective molecular biomarkers for early diagnosis, risk stratification, and disease monitoring is a major clinical limitation. The MYC proto-oncogene is involved in several fundamental cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and metabolism, and its overexpression has been associated with the progression of several types of cancer, including gastric adenocarcinoma. Therefore, this project aims to investigate the MYC expression pattern in gastric tissue (tumor and non-tumor) and serum from patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, comparing them with individuals without a history of cancer. Samples will undergo RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. Overexpression of MYC is expected in tumor tissues and, consequently, increased expression in patient serum. Validation of MYC serum expression could represent a breakthrough in the identification of noninvasive biomarkers, with potential application in early detection and disease monitoring. The findings of this study may contribute to improving diagnostic and prognostic strategies in GC. (AU)