Sisters have their stomachs removed to beat family curse of gastric cancer

Two sisters given an 80 per cent chance of developing gastric cancer have opted to have their stomachs removed.

Ravindra Singh, 29, and 25-year-old Meeta can now eat only tiny meals  -  around ten mouthfuls  -  but are otherwise expected to live normal lives.

Both inherited a mutant gene which affects only 100 families in the world. They have seen the disease claim the lives of their father, two uncles, grandmother and a 20-year-old cousin.

Ravindra, a recruitment consultant who lives in Manchester, decided in June to have her stomach removed as a precaution.

However, tests in the run-up to the procedure revealed she had early-stage gastric cancer. Doctors then carried out a ‘radical gastrectomy’ at Nuffield Hospital, Leeds.

On Monday, Meeta, who is studying for a master’s degree in forensic psychology, underwent the same procedure at St James’s Teaching Hospital in Leeds  -  despite tests showing she has not yet contracted gastric cancer.