Assessment of the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and lung cancer: a meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Helicobacter pylori infection has been thought to play a critical role in gastric carcinoma tumorigenesis and progression. Several studies have been devoted to the relationship between H. pylori infection and lung cancer risk and have generated inconclusive results. In this study we aimed to evaluate the potential association of H. pylori infection with lung cancer risk.


METHODS
We conducted a search in Medline, OVID, EMBASE and CNKI, covering all published papers until October 2008. The relevant published papers were deliberately selected according to the established inclusion criteria for publications. Essential data were then extracted from the included studies and further analyzed by a systematic meta-analysis.


RESULTS
A total of 98 papers were identified. Of these, four case-control studies met the inclusion criteria and thus were finally selected. Lung cancer risk for H. pylori infection was 3.24-fold (95% CI=1.11-9.47) (Z=2.15, p<0.05) compared with the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The pooled data suggest infection of H. pylori as a potential risk factor for lung cancer.
Zhuo
Wen-Lei
WL
Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Zhu
Bo
B
Xiang
Zhao-Lan
ZL
Zhuo
Xian-Lu
XL
Cai
Lei
L
Chen
Zheng-Tang
ZT
D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors