Effect of Diet and Helicobacter pylori Infection to the Risk of Early Gastric Cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The association of dietary habits and Helicobacter pylori infection with early gastric cancer is still unclear.METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Korea. Sixty-nine patients were newly diagnosed as having early gastric cancer at the Division of Gastroenterology, Asan Medical Center, and 199 healthy subjects who visited the Health Promotion Center of the this same hospital for annual health examinations were selected as controls. Helicobacter pylori infection status was assayed by ELISA, and information for dietary habits was obtained by interview using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Preference for salty taste was also evaluated using a sensitive test.RESULTS: H. pylori seropositivity was observed in 88% of cases, as compared with 75% of controls (OR=5.3, 95% confidence interval:1.7-16.5). Adaptive salt concentration was significantly and positively associated with early gastric cancer risk (p<0.01). Decreased risks of early gastric cancer were observed in association with intakes of clear broth, raw vegetables, fruits, fruit or vegetable juices, and soybean curds. On the other hand, a high intake of salt-fermented fish and kimchi were associated with an elevated risk of early gastric cancer. Subjects with positive H. pylori infection and a high salty preference had a 10-fold higher risk of early gastric cancer than subjects without H. pylori infection and with a low salty preference (p for interaction = 0.047).CONCLUSION: Some dietary factors and H. pylori infection are significantly associated with early gastric cancer. In particular, high-salty diets may enhance the effect of H. pylori infection in gastric carcinogenesis.

Recent patterns in gastric cancer: A global overview

“…[26][27][28][29][30][31][32] A large number of studies that have examined this relationship have generally found an increased risk by approximately 2-fold for frequent consumption of salt and salted foods. The relationship is also biologically plausible, given that salt may lead to damage of the protective mucosal layer of the stomach.…”

Trend of mortality rates for gastric cancer in Brazil and regions in the period of 30 years (1980-2009)

“…Almost certainly, these include a more varied diet and better food conservation, including refrigeration, as well as control of infection by Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) (22,23) , decreasing of risk factors exposure, such as consumption of salt and salty foods, which can lead to damage of the protective layer of the mucosa of stomach (11,22) and smoking (18) .…”

Salt and Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Norway

“…Some of the previously reported positive findings regarding the association between salt and gastric cancer might reflect confounding by infection with H. pylori (21), a strong and well-established risk factor for stomach cancer (18), and this infection could act as an effect modifier regarding the effect of sodium on the gastric mucosa (22,23). High salt intake might also be associated with an increased risk of H. pylori infection (19,20).…”