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Guwahati
A new study found a connection between bile stones rich in cholesterol exposed to toxic metals and gall bladder cancer (GBC) in Assam, one of the most affected regions around the world.
A study led by the Tezpur University team, which was published in the chemical research of the American chemical society in toxicology, reveals how heavy metals and bile structural properties control this deadly disease.
Also read: The cause of the bile stone disease in the Indians is found to be genetic
The study was led by Pankaj Barah and Cinmoye Baruah from the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Tezpur University. Other authors are the university of ROY; Gayatri Gogoi and Utpal Dutta of Assam Medical College in Dibruugarh; Anupam Sarma from the Cancer Institute Cancer Borooah in Guwahati Dr. BHUBANESWAR BOROOAH; Akshai kumar from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati; Roshan M. Borkar and Sachin B. Jorvekar from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in Guwahati and Subhash Khanna from Swagat Super Specialties and Surgical Hospital in Guwahati.
The gallstones are small, pebble formations in the gallbladder caused by changes in the bile composition. These changes promote the crystallization of cholesterol, calcium and other billiard pigments, disrupt the bile homeostasis and affect the dynamics of the gallbladder.
Gall stones are symptomatic or asymptomatic and symptomatic cases are known as gallstones (GSD) or cholelithiasis, causing serious pain.
The team used advanced spectroscopic tools to perform comparative bile stone analysis from 30 patients with GSD and 10 GBC patients in Assam. It was found that bile stones from patients with GSD are composed of cholesterol (70%), mixed (13.3%), pigment (6.7%) and calcium carbonate (10%).
Call on urgent measures
The bile stones from patients with GBC did not have calcium pigment and calcium carbonate types, but contained up to 15 times higher than normal carcinogenic metals – arsenic, chromium, mercury, iron and lead – prevailing in the groundwater of Brahmaputra, along with an arrangement.
“This toxic profile explains why 60-80% of bile stones in Assam are progressing into GBC, compared to only 1% of global risk, with 70% of patients. These bile stones act as toxic catalysts. Barah.
Dr. Gogoi said early ultrasound screening can save lives, but 80% of cases are detected too late for surgery.
“This explains why Assam carries a disproportionate burden compared to other Indian regions,” Dr. Khanna.
According to Dr. Sarma, cancer specialist, underscores the critical need for screening of communities in high -risk zones.
The study advocated immediate measures to deal with Assam Cancer Cancer, such as extensive ultrasonic screening to allow early detection, robust reforms of political reforms to improve water quality and reduce toxic metal contamination, comparative bile studies in India and public campaign Campaigns and public campaigns and public form of the campaign.
The authors emphasized the need for further research of cholesterol dysregulation and its connection with elementary toxicity.
“We plan to explore the bile stones from patients in other Indian regions to see if the toxic profile – marked with high carcinogenic metals and unique crystalline structural arrangements – found in Assam patients is clear or part of a wider national pattern,” Barah.
Published – April 3 2025 17:08