A Study on Gastric Cancer Developed in Patients with Chronic Gastritis and Helicobacter pylori Infection

Chung, Jung Myung; Seol, Sang Hoon; Lee, Sang Bong; Seol, Sang Young; Yoon, Hye Kyung

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: We aimed to confirm the possibility of the development of stomach cancer by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and chronic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia. METHODS: The study group consisted of 16 patients with stomach cancer. They had a history of chronic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia confirmed by initial endoscopic biopsy. To confirm the H. pylori infection, we applied immunohistochemical staining repeatedly to the paraffin blocks of initial biopsy, follow-up biopsy, or those made after diagnosis of cancer. RESULTS: Ten men and six women participated in this study. The mean duration from the first histological diagnosis to the development of cancer was 8 years (5-16 years). The initial diagnoses showed chronic gastritis in 7 cases (43.7%), gastric ulcer in 8 cases (50.0%), and polyp in one case (6.3%). On follow-up endoscopy, 12 cases (75.0%) were in the early stage of cancer and 4 cases (25.0%) showed the advanced stage of cancer. All cases were H. pylori positive. The H. pylori infection of 10 cases was confirmed in the initial examination. For the rest of the patients, it was detected during the observation period or after diagnosis of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia and H. pylori infection are suggested to be the important risk factors in the development of stomach cancer.