[Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric cancer patients].

UNLABELLED

The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric cancer development.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

475 patients were included into the study (270 gastric cancer patients and 205 controls). Helicobacter pylori status was determined by enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). The frequency of H. pylori infection in gastric cancer patients and the control group was compared. The relationship between the presence of anti-H. pylori antibodies and selected clinical and pathomorphological parameters was analysed.

RESULTS

H. pylori infection was statistically more frequent in gastric cancer patients than in controls (94.4% vs. 86.3%, p = 0.0039). Subjects infected with H. pylori were about 2.5-fold more likely to develop gastric cancer than uninfected individuals (OR = 2.69; 95% CI = 0.93-4.45) and the risk depended on age. A positive relationship between H. pylori infection and family history of cancer was found (p = 0.045). H. pylori status was irrespective of patient's age, sex, duration of symptoms, AB0 blood group, tumour site, stage, histology and p53 status in cancer tissue.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirms a positive relationship between H. pylori infection and gastric cancer, however, in contrast to previous reports fails to demonstrate that bacteria protect the host from cardia cancer. Our results suggest also that in gastric cancer H. pylori does not induce p53 mutations.