A domestic research team says it has found a gene causing the proliferation of gastric cancer in a major breakthrough in the fight against the disease.

Led by Dr. Um Hong-duk of the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, the team on Tuesday said it has identified the gene BC-w, which protects stomach cancer cells, as promoting metastasis in stomach cancer, a leading cause of death in the nation.

Their finding comes after a Seoul National University team discovered a mechanism for inhibiting the spread of cancerous cells.

The study of Um's team appears in the latest edition of the international journal Cancer Research.