[Achlorhydria and stomach carcinoma].

Patients with achlorhydria are suspected to have an increased risk of developing gastric adenocarcinoma. However, in the literature the reported risk varies considerably. In The Netherlands no such data are available. The risk of developing gastric adenocarcinoma was investigated in 129 achlorhydric patients. During a mean observation period of 12.3 yrs gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in six patients. The expected incidence was 1,275, calculated by making use of age, sex and calendar specific incidence and mortality rates of gastric cancer in the Dutch population. The relative risk to develop gastric cancer was 4.7 (95% confidence limits: 1.7-10.2; p less than 0.05). Despite a significantly increased risk, screening of achlorhydric patients for gastric cancer is not advised.