Association of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric carcinoma

Gastric carcinoma is a worldwide disease, representing the second most frequent cancer in the world. Gastric carcinogenesis is a multifactoral process and it results from interaction of the several factors that are related to diet, environment, genetic susceptibility, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Many evidence showed that H. pylori, the important pathogen for a wide spectrum of gastro duodenal diseases. Substantial epidemiological evidence exists for an increased risk of gastric carcinoma with H. pylori infection. This study was conducted with the objective to find out an association of H. pylori infection and gastric carcinoma in a Bangladeshi population. This case-control study was conducted between June 2003 and July 2004, in the department of Surgery in joint collaboration with department of Pathology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka. A total number of 151 subjects were included in this study. Fifty gastric carcinoma patients were considered as cases and 101 control subjects were selected from the admitted patients in the surgical ward having no gastric cancer, but with other gastro duodenal disorders. The mean age±SD among the cases and controls were 51.84±12.69 and 35.08±11.67 years respectively. Among the 50 cases 36(72.0%) and among the 101 controls 74(75.3%) were male. The male and female ratio among the cases and controls were 1:0.39 and 1:0.36 respectively. Among the 50 cases 40(80.0%) and among the 101 controls 62(61.4%) were serologically positive for H. pylori infection. Difference of H. pylori infection in both study groups were evident and statistically significant (OR=2.516, p<0.05). It may be concluded from this study, H. pylori infection may be associated with gastric carcinoma.