[Analysis of serum gastrin levels in patients with adenomatous polyps of the colon].
Adenomatous polyps are known risk factor of colon cancer. Gastrin is a peptide hormone involved in the growth of both normal and malignant intestinal tissue, which probably may promote progression through the adenoma-carcinoma sequence.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between serum gastrin levels and size, type and localization of colonic adenomas.


METHODS
The study included 60 patients with adenomatous polyps of the colon and 30 healthy volunteers. Serum gastrin levels and presence of Helicobacter pylori infection were examined in all patients.


RESULTS
We observed higher serum gastrin levels in patients with colonic adenomas compared to control group (59.65 pg/ml vs. 46.89 pg/ml; p < 0.05). There was no association between gastrin levels and size, number, localisation and histologic type of polyps (p > 0.05). No differences between frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection and examined group of patients were observed (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite of elevated serum levels in patients with colonic adenomas we did not observe the association between gastrin levels and size, grade of dysplasia and histologic type of polyps. The exact role of hipergastrinemia in process of colon carcinogenesis remains to be determined.
Oset
Piotr
P
Medical University of Łódź, Department of Digestive Tract Diseases. poset@op.pl
Jasińska
Anna
A
Szcześniak
Piotr
P
Orszulak-Michalak
Daria
D
Talar-Wojnarowska
Renata
R
Małecka-Panas
Ewa
E
D018256:Adenomatous Polyps / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D005755:Gastrins