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It has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori constitutes a risk for the development of adenomatous polyps and adenocarcinoma of the colon. Dr Amnon Sonnenberg and colleagues studied the association between H pylori-positive gastritis and the occurrence of any colonic neoplasm. From a computerized database of surgical pathology reports, the team selected 156,000 subjects who underwent colonoscopy and esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy with biopsy results from both procedures.  | | The association between H pylori-positive gastritis and colonic neoplasm became stronger with size of adenomas | | American Journal of Gastroenterology |
Compared with normal gastric mucosa, H pylori gastritis occurred more frequently among patients with hyperplastic polyps, adenomatous polyps, advanced adenomas, villous adenomas or adenomas with high-grade dysplasia, and adenocarcinomas. The doctors noted that similarly, the strength of the association between H pylori-positive gastritis and colonic neoplasm increased with size and number of the adenomas. The association between H pylori gastritis and the occurrence of colonic neoplasm was similar for different locations of the large bowel. Other gastric conditions etiologically associated with H pylori, such as intestinal metaplasia, adenoma, lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma, were also significantly associated with an increased risk of colonic neoplasm. Dr Sonneberg's team concludes, "Various forms of gastritis related to H pylori infection confer an increased risk for colonic neoplasm. In the past, when H pylori infection was more prevalent, its attributable risk to the occurrence of colorectal neoplasm may have been quite substantial."
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