HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY GASTRIC-CANCER BY THE ENDOSCOPIC PHENOL RED TEST

Background-An endoscopic procedure that uses a pH indicator called phe nol red to assess Helicobacter pylori infected gastric mucosa has rece ntly been developed. This test makes it possible to take biopsy specim ens from Hpylori infected areas. Aim-This test was applied to patients with early gastric cancers to clarify the role of Hpylori in gastric carcinogenesis. Subjects-Sixty five patients with early gastric cancer (50 with differentiated adenocarcinoma and 15 with undifferentiated a denocarcinoma). Methods-Patients with early gastric cancer underwent t he endoscopic phenol red test before their operation. In this test, ar eas infected with H pylori can be observed as ''coloured'' areas where phenol red was turned from yellow to red. Results-H pylori infection was significantly (p<0.001) more frequent in patients with differentia ted adenocarcinomas than in those with undifferentiated adenocarcinoma s. Differentiated adenocarcinomas were usually located in areas of muc osa infected with H pylori, but undifferentiated adenocarcinomas were frequently located in non-infected areas. Conclusion-Hpylori may be a strong risk factor for differentiated early gastric cancer.