Lay summary
Gastric cancer includes different histological types that vary widely in how they grow and respond to treatment. Currently, all gastric cancer types are treated with similar chemotherapy approaches, but one type—diffuse gastric cancer—often does not respond well to chemotherapy and patients may even be harmed by it. This is especially significant in Aotearoa New Zealand, where Māori and Pacific communities are disproportionately impacted by diffuse gastric cancer. This research aims to make diffuse gastric cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy by stimulating their growth. This challenging concept leverages the fact that chemotherapy targets growing cells, and by stimulating cancer cell proliferation, this may help overcome resistance, making treatments more effective for diffuse gastric cancer. Using a combination of drugs and genetic modifications targeting a growth pathway, the study will test if this approach can enhance treatment effectiveness, potentially offering a breakthrough for diffuse GC patients.