Blood type B, AB less prone to stomach cancer

Researchers from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital in Gyeonggi Province say people who have blood types B or AB are less likely to get stomach cancer. / Courtesy of Twitter

By Kim Da-hee

People who have blood types B or AB are less likely to get stomach cancer, research revealed Friday.

Researchers from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital in Gyeonggi Province monitored 997 people diagnosed with non-cardia gastric cancer and a control group of 1147 people from February, 2006 to May, 2014.

Non-cardia gastric cancer is found in all areas of the stomach other than the top portion.

The team analyzed 14 factors, including blood types, family history of the cancer, eating habits and the infection of H.pylori, which can cause the cancer.

The researchers found that those with genotype BB had a 46 percent lower risk of the cancer. They also had 61 percent less risk of diffuse-type gastric cancer.

Those who have genotype BO and AB had 27 percent less risk respectively.

“The research result helped us to clarify that the occurrence rate of the cancer can vary due to blood type,” said head researcher Prof. Kim Na-young.