H. pylori-associated gastric cancer in a husband-wife pair: a veritable family affair.
Family environment probably represents a high route of transmission for H. pylori, a bacterium associated with gastric cancer (GC). We report two cases of GC in a husband-wife pair of immigrants from Romania. The disease was first diagnosed in the wife, and three years later in her husband of 55 years. Both patients had active H. pylori-related inflammation. Household family members of GC patients could be infected with a shared H. pylori strain, putting them at risk for developing the disease. Therefore, it may be justified to identify and eradicate the H. pylori infection in such family members early, before the neoplastic changes become irreversible.
Dasanu
Constantin A
CA
Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA. c_dasanu@yahoo.com
Rathmann
Joerg
J
Alexandrescu
Doru T
DT
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018454:Spouses; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology