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Updated: Sep 18, 2025
Author Spotlight: Gastric Epithelial Cell Responses in Helicobacter pylori infection
Published on: July 5, 2024
Gastric cancer in children infected with Helicobacter pylori
Xia Gong1, Cen Chen1, Jun-Fei Shen2
1Department of Pediatrics, Dazu Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402360, China.
Insights
Childhood Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is linked to precancerous gastric conditions. Family history of gastric cancer may increase risk, highlighting the need for early detection and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in childhood is a potential risk factor for gastric cancer.
- Family history of cancer is a known risk factor for gastric cancer.
- The interplay between childhood H. pylori infection and family history in gastric cancer development requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define associations between childhood H. pylori infection and gastric cancer risk factors.
- To specifically evaluate the role of family history of cancer in this association.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy data from 600 children.
- Classification of children into H. pylori positive and negative groups based on biopsy and rapid urease tests.
- Comparison of the incidence of gastric carcinoma, chronic superficial gastritis, glandular atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia between the groups.
Main Results:
- H. pylori infection was present in 55% (330/600) of the pediatric study population.
- H. pylori-positive children showed significantly higher rates of chronic superficial gastritis (78.8% vs. 5.9%), gastric atrophy (39.4% vs. 7%), and intestinal metaplasia (0.9% vs. 0%) compared to H. pylori-negative children.
- A statistically significant association was observed between H. pylori positivity and a family history of gastric cancer (1.2% vs. 0%).
Conclusions:
- Childhood H. pylori infection is associated with an increased risk of precancerous gastric conditions.
- Family history of gastric cancer may represent an additional risk factor in children infected with H. pylori.
- Early detection, intervention, and management of H. pylori in childhood are recommended, particularly for children with a family history of gastric cancer.
Background:
This retrospective study aimed to define associations between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in childhood and risk factors for gastric cancer with special emphasis on the role of family history of cancer.
Aim:
To define associations between H. pylori in childhood and risk factors for gastric cancer with special emphasis on the role of family history of cancer.
Methods:
Details of 600 children who were subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopies at our institution are analyzed. Children were classified into positive and negative groups for H. pylori infection based on biopsy and rapid urease tests. The occurrences of gastric carcinoma, chronic superficial gastritis, glandular atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia among the groups are compared.
Results:
In our study, among the overall population, 330 children tested positive for H. pylori, which constituted 55% of the study population. The group denoting H. pylori positivity was found to have strikingly higher frequencies of chronic superficial gastritis (78.8% vs 5.9%), gastric atrophy (39.4% vs 7%), and intestinal metaplasia (0.9% vs 0%), as compared to the H. pylori-negative group. It is interesting to observe that there were a few but statistically significant cases of H. pylori-positive children having a family history of gastric cancer (1.2%), whereas no such cases were reported in children who were H. pylori-negative.
Conclusion:
Our study finds that H. pylori infection in childhood is associated with an increased risk of precancerous gastric conditions and that family history might provide an additional risk. These insights recommend the necessity of early H. pylori detection and intervention and management strategies in childhood, especially in those families with histories of gastric cancer.
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