Helicobacter pylori and Progressive Gastric Pathology that Predisposes to Gastric Cancer

Recavarren-Arce S, Leon-Barua R, Cok J, Berendson R, Gilman RH, Ramirez-Ramos A, Rodriguez C, Spira WM. Helicobacter pylori and progressive gastric pathology that predisposes to gastric cancer. Scand J Gastroenterol 1991, 26(suppl 181), 51–57Evidence is presented suggesting that infection by Helicobacter pylori triggers and continuously contributes to the pathophysiology of progressive gastric changes that can ultimately lead to gastric cancer. In Peru, especially in population groups of low socioeconomic status, infection by H. pylori begins earlier in life and is more prevalent and persistent than in developed countries. The infection produces a destructive lesion of the mucinous surface epithelium which probably enables other aggressive luminal factors to cause further mucosal damage. As a consequence, active chronic gastritis appears. The gastritis is of the superficial type at the beginning but may progressively change to atrophic. Chronic atrophic gastritis is found more frequently and at a younger ...