Helicobacter Pylori and Gastric Cancer Progression

Gastric cancer (GC) remains the fifth most common malignant tumor and the third leading cause of cancer death, despite the decline in incidence and mortality worldwide over the past five decades. Currently, the roles of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the development of GC have been established. The effects of H. pylori are mediated through interactions of H. pylori pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) with pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) located on immune and epithelial cells. It is known that this interaction leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of the mechanisms of angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and immunological tolerance. Not all this excludes the possibility that H. pylori may have an effect not only on the induction, but also on the mechanisms of GC progression. In this review, we will consider the main structural elements of the innate immune system and the mechanisms of their interaction with H. pylori; the possible role of H. pylori in GC progression; relationship of H. pylori with clinical and pathological characteristics and prognosis of GC, as well as data on the effect of eradication therapy on long-term results of GC patient treatment.