The influence of Helicobacter pylori infection on the progression of gastric mucosal atrophy and occurrence of gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of Helicobacter pylori infection on the progression of gastric mucosal atrophy and the development of gastric cancer.


METHODS
We investigated the extension of the atrophic area as assessed on the basis of the Kimura-Takemoto atrophic patterns and the development of gastric cancer in a selected sample of 64 patients who were endoscopically followed up for more than 3 years, and who showed H. pylori infection by culture at the start of the investigation and at some stages during the follow-up.


RESULTS
No progression of atrophy was observed in 14 patients who were H. pylori-negative at the beginning of the follow-up, whereas various degrees of expansion of the atrophic area were found in 22% of 50 positive cases. Well differentiated mucosal cancer was diagnosed in four patients during the follow-up. These patients displayed moderate to severe atrophy. At the beginning of the follow-up, 50% of patients were H. pylori culture-positive, but all patients had H. pylori antibodies in their blood.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the view that H. pylori infection influences the development of atrophic gastritis and is related to the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.
Sakaki
N
N
Department of Endoscopy, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Japan.
Momma
K
K
Egawa
N
N
Yamada
Y
Y
Kan
T
T
Ishiwata
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*