Helicobacter pylori and Barretts esophagus: a protective factor or a real cause?
Notwithstanding the definite aetiopathogenetic path of certain diseases, the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Barretts esophagus (BE), a condition that increases the risk for dysplasia and consequently adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and esophagogastric junction, remains uncertain. This paper reviews the current scientific literature with emphasis on the protective correlation between H. pylori infection and BE and demonstrates that a causal relationship has not been disproved with certainty. Furthermore, H. pylori infection could pose a risk for the onset of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which could in turn trigger BE, a precancerous lesion, and subsequently cause cancer. By analyzing the current available data, this article tries to verify that H. pylori infection is the underlying cause of esophageal cancer.
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Italy and Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.
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Tomasello
Student, School of Medicine and Surgery,Hypatia Course, Palermo University.
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Giordano
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Italy and Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.
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Mazzola
Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.
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Jurjus
Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut (AUB), Beirut, Lebanon.
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Jurjus
Hospital University P. Giaccone, Palermo, Italy.
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Damiani
Student, School of Medicine and Surgery, Chirone Course, University of Palermo, Italy.
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Nobile
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Italy and Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.
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Carini
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Histology, (BIONEC), University of Palermo, Italy.
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Leone
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D065840:Protective Factors; D012307:Risk Factors; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology