Susceptibility to chronic gastritis in first degree relatives of gastric carcinoma patients. Effect of histological type of carcinoma and location of tumour.

To elucidate the behaviour of gastritis on a family level 301 first degree relatives of 73 patients with different types of gastric carcinoma have been subjected to a closer analysis. A stochastic mathematical approach was employed in calculating mean score values for each family. In addition, the location of the tumours was taken into account. The findings are compared with those in a series of 358 first-degree relatives (the "controls") of 73 control probands, computer-matched by age and sex to the carcinoma probands. The mean progression of gastritis in the body in the carcinoma families was significantly more rapid than in the controls. In the relatives of probands with diffuse carcinoma the progression of gastritis was significantly more rapid than in the controls in both body and antrum; no such difference was seen in the families of intestinal carcinoma probands. On the other hand, a significant positive correlation was established between the location of all carcinomas and the progression of both antral and body gastritis. Furthermore, intestinal carcinoma of antral location was associated with progression of antral gastritis significantly faster than expected. On the whole, in contrast to the control families, the mean gastritis scores of all carcinoma families were above zero. It is concluded that our earlier finding of a relationship between gastritis and gastric carcinoma at an individual level is also found at a family level.