A decade in unravelling the etiology of gastric carcinogenesis in Kashmir, India – A high risk region

Abstract Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally. Although, understanding the molecular mechanisms leading to gastric carcinogenesis has gained much importance in the last few decades, yet biomarkers for early detection are not available so far. Kashmir valley- India, represents a high-risk cancer region, has unique dietary and sociocultural practices, which makes it an intriguing region for studying the etiology of gastric cancer. Although several studies have been carried out in Kashmir in the recent past to understand the role of genetic and/or environmental factors in the development of the disease, the complete etiology, and causes of the high incidence of this disease, yet remains unclear. This review summarises the currently available results on various dietary, environmental factors, and genetic factors studied in the Kashmiri population and their relevance with the global understanding of the disease.