Effect of Helicobacter Pylori Eradication on Glandular Atrophy and Intestinal Metaplasia in Patients Undergoing Subtotal Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a primary etiological agent leading to chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer. The organism is also associated with gastric cancer in epidemiological studies. However, detailed mechanism of carcinogenesis remains unknown. Histolopathological studies indicate that chronic H. pylori infection progresses over decades through stages of chronic gastritis, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and cancer. Gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia are considered as precancerous lesions, but whether H. pylori eradication improves these lesions is controversial. And the issue has not been evaluated in gastric cancer patients. However, despite the lack of evidence proven by a well-designed study, current guidelines from Europe and Japan recommend H. pylori eradication treatment in patients who were treated for gastric cancer by surgically or endoscopically. Thus, it is important to evaluate whether H. pylori eradication can improve known precancerous lesion, i.e. glandular atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in gastric cancer patients. Such histological improvement may eventually reduce secondary gastric cancer development and provide evidence for current guidelines. Helicobacter pylori is a primary etiological agent leading to chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer. The organism is also associated with gastric cancer in epidemiological studies. However, detailed mechanism of carcinogenesis remains unknown. Histolopathological studies indicate that chronic H. pylori infection progresses over decades through stages of chronic gastritis, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and cancer. Gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia are considered as precancerous lesions, but whether H. pylori eradication improves these lesions is controversial. And the issue has not been evaluated in gastric cancer patients. However, despite the lack of evidence proven by a well-designed study, current guidelines from Europe and Japan recommend H. pylori eradication treatment in patients who were treated for gastric cancer by surgically or endoscopically. Thus, it is important to evaluate whether H. pylori eradication can improve known precancerous lesion, i.e. glandular atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in gastric cancer patients. Such histological improvement may eventually reduce secondary gastric cancer development and provide evidence for current guidelines.