Nitrite and nitrosamines in gastric juice: risk factors for gastric cancer?

Nitrite and nitrosamine concentrations have been measured in 108 patients undergoing gastroscopy as a part of routine gastrointestinal investigations. The nitrite and nitrosamine values of 20 patients with duodenal and 11 patients with benign gastric ulcer were within the range of the values of 26 normal subjects. The nitrite and nitrosamine concentrations in 32 patients with inflammatory changes of the gastric mucosa were slightly higher than normal values and correlated with the progressive degrees of the severity. In 19 patients with atrophic gastritis the concentrations of nitrite and nitrosamines were significantly elevated in comparison with those of all other groups. Our data suggest a relationship between the constant exposure of an already damaged gastric mucosa to N-nitroso compounds and the known high incidence of gastric cancer in atrophic gastritis.