title: Differences in the levels of gastric cancer risk factors between Nanjing and Minqing counties, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Fujian Province, China, gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality among all malignant tumors. Nanjing county and Minqing county are located in inland Fujian and have similar general demographics. However, the adjusted mortality rate of gastric cancer in Minqing was found to be much higher than that in Nanjing. We sought to explore factors associated with this increased risk of gastric cancer between the two counties.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 231 and 224 residents from Nanjing and Minqing, respectively, and analyzed differences between their dietary habits, Helicobacter pylori infection rates, and concentrations of serum pepsinogen I, pepsinogen II, gastrin-17, and ratio of pepsinogen I:II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects in Minqing had more first-degree relatives who had been diagnosed with upper gastrointestinal tumor, more unhealthy dietary habits, a higher Helicobacter pylori positive rate, and greater proportion of abnormal serum gastrin-17 than those in Nanjing did.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The factors that differed between these two counties might indicate that residents in Minqing have a higher risk for developing gastric cancer than those in Nanjing do.
authors.affiliation: Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China ; Fujian Medical University School of Public Health, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China ; Fujian Medical University School of Public Health, Fuzhou, China ; Fujian Key Laboratory for Zoonoses Research, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Kui-Cheng
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Bing-Shan
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Tie-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Shan-Rong
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zai-Sheng
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Hygiene, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020116:Pepsinogen A / Q000097:blood; D020115:Pepsinogen C / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D005755:Gastrins; C013550:gastrin 17; D020115:Pepsinogen C; D020116:Pepsinogen A
keywords: Food habits; Gastrins; Helicobacter pylori; Pepsinogen; Stomach neoplasms