Gastric cancer

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is now well established as having a role in the ae tiology of gastric cancer and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MA LT)-lymphoma. Research workers over the year have been chipping away at its role in the pathogenesis of the two conditions. Most work is focused on th e virulence factors that can be shown to be associated with cancer or pre-c ancerous changes, the main data derived from epidemiological, molecular bio logical and immunological studies. The important contributions of the year are outlined in this review, but with each advance it can be appreciated ho w complex and multifactorial the malignant process is. Hp is one player in a large cast of which host genetics is beginning to emerge as an important determinant. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 16 (suppl 1):S19-S22 (C) 2000 Lippinco tt Williams & Wilkins.