BACKGROUND: It is widely assumed that gender, age, gastritis and Helicobacter pylori , all have some degree of correlation and, therefore, can synergistically lead to the development of gastric cancer. OBJECTIVE: In this cross-sectional study, we expected to observe the above mentioned correlation in the analysis of medical records of 67 patients of both sexes (female, n=44), mean age ± standard deviation: 41±12 years old, all from Belém (capital of Pará State, Brazilian Amazon), a city historically known as one with the highest gastric cancer prevalence in this country. METHODS: All patients were submitted to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for gastric biopsy histopathological analysis and rapid urease test. All diagnoses of gastritis were recorded considering its topography, category and the degree of inflammatory activity, being associated or not associated with H. pylori infection. RESULTS: The results show that no statistically relevant associations were found among the prevalences of the observed variables. CONCLUSION: The authors hypothesize that observed risk factors associated to gastric cancer might be lesser synergistic than is usually expected.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be the last step of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) evolution. Experimental models are crucial to elucidate the pathogenesis of HCC secondary to NAFLD. The 2-deoxy-2-(18F)fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) plays an important role in evaluating HCC development and progression. OBJECTIVE: To standardize the imaging method of PET/CT with 18F-FDG as an evaluation tool of the experimental model of HCC secondary to NAFLD. METHODS: Ten male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with choline-deficient high-fat diet and diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in the drinking water for 16 weeks and then received 1 mL of saline solution (0.9%) daily by gavage for three weeks. At the 16th and 19th weeks, abdominal ultrasonography (USG) was performed. 18F-FDG PET/CT images were obtained before the beginning of experiment (week 0) and at the end (week 19). Histological and immunohistochemically analysis were also performed. RESULTS: The USG results showed a homogeneous group at the 16th week with an average of 4.6±2.74 nodules per animal. At the 19th week, PET/CT findings demonstrated an average of 8.5±3.7 nodules per animal. The mean values of SUVmed and SUVmax were 2.186±0.1698 and 3.8±1.74, respectively. The average number of nodules per animal in the histological analysis was 5.5±1.5. From all nodules, 4.6% were classified as well-differentiated HCC and 81.8% were classified as poorly-differentiated HCC. CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG PET/CT was able to evaluate the development of HCC in an experimental model of NAFLD non-invasively. From the standardization of PET/CT in this model, it is possible to use this tool in future studies to monitor, in vivo and non-invasively, the progression of HCC.

Aim: Evaluate the effect of sorafenib in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by quantifying the correlation between changes in glucose metabolism on PET imaging and degree of tumor differentiation. Methods: NAFLD related HCC was induced by the combination of high fat and choline deficient diet with diethylnitrosamine (100 mg/L) for 16 weeks. Then carcinogenic stimuli were suspended, liver nodules were identified by abdominal ultrasound and two groups were randomized: control (n = 10) and sorafenib (n = 20). Rats received daily gavage administration of 1 mL saline or sorafenib (5 mg/kg/day) for more 3 weeks. After treatment, [ 18 F]FDG PET scan was performed on animals. Results: [ 18 F]FDG uptake was lower in the sorafenib group than that in the control group (3.3 ± 0.48 vs. 5.5 ± 1.5, P = 0.01). Direct correlation was found between poorly-differentiated HCC and TumorSUVmax/MuscleSUVmax ratio (R 2 = 0.54, P = 0.006). Treatment was associated with significantly more residual tumors that were well differentiated (Grades I/II) than in the untreated control group (39% vs. 5%, respectively, P = 0.01). Conclusion: Sorafenib shows promise as a treatment for reducing the aggressiveness of HCC as demonstrated by [ 18 F] FDG PET and immunohistochemistry.

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