Lower alcohol tolerance in East Asians linked to higher stomach cancer risk.
East Asian people are more likely to develop diffuse stomach cancer due to their higher likelihood of alcohol intolerance, according to a new study. The study collected cells from nearly 1,500 stomach cancer patients in Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, and the U.S. and is the first extensive genomic analysis of gastric cancer. Populations in East Asia have long been disproportionately affected by stomach cancer compared to those of Western countries. Due to its relative infrequency in the West compared to other types, the United States does not routinely screen for gastric cancer.