| Theme | Carcinogenesis Based on H. pylori-associated Gastritis -- Is Cancer Control Possible by the Eradication ? | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Gastric Cancer Prevention by Helicobacter pylori Eradication until Now and Japanese Gastric Cancer Control Strategy from Now On | |
| Publish Date | 2012/03 | |
| Author | Shogo Kikuchi | Department of Public Health, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] | Patients with H. pylori infection are at a 21 times increased risk of developing gastric cancer than those without any history of H. pylori infection. Eradication of H. pylori may be effective for gastric cancer prevention, if it is employed before "germs" of gastric cancer grow so that it can be detected by endoscopic examination. The progression of mucosal atrophy weakens the preventive effects of eradication. In Japan, rates of both mortality and incidence of gastric cancer have decreased, so that the adult population consists of those at high and those at low risk of gastric cancer. It is inevitable to evaluate gastric cancer risk for individual subjects to provide prevention. A combination of the H. pylori infection test and the serum pepsinogen test may be useful for evaluation. Indications for eradication therapy should be decided considering behavior of each subject in addition to the expected risk reduction effect. |
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