Gastric cancer precursor lesions and Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with partial gastrectomy for peptic ulcer

Role of New Anatomy, Biliopancreatic Reflux, and Helicobacter Pylori Status in Postgastrectomy Stump Cancer

Distal gastrectomy for benign gastroduodenal peptic disease has become rare, but it still represents a widely adopted procedure for advanced and, in some countries, even for early distal gastric cancer. Survival rates following surgery for gastric malignancy are constantly improving, hence the residual mucosa of the gastric stump is exposed for a prolonged period to biliopancreatic reflux and, possibly, to Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection. Biliopancreatic reflux and HP infection are considered responsible for gastritis and metachronous carcinoma in the gastric stump after oncologic surgery. For gastrectomy patients, in addition to eradication treatment for cases that are already HP positive, endoscopic surveillance should also be recommended, for prompt surveillance and detection in the residual mucosa of any metaplastic-atrophic-dysplastic features following surgery.

Current status in remnant gastric cancer after distal gastrectomy

Remnant gastric cancer (RGC) and gastric stump cancer after distal gastrectomy (DG) are recognized as the same clinical entity. In this review, the current knowledges as well as the non-settled issues of RGC are presented. Duodenogastric reflux and denervation of the gastric mucosa are considered as the two main factors responsible for the development of RGC after benign disease. On the other hand, some precancerous circumstances which already have existed at the time of initial surgery, such as atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, are the main factors associated with RGC after gastric cancer. Although eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in remnant stomach is promising, it is still uncertain whether it can reduce the risk of carcinogenesis. Periodic endoscopic surveillance after DG was reported useful in detecting RGC at an early stage, which offers a chance to undergo minimally invasive endoscopic treatment or laparoscopic surgery and leads to an improved prognosis in RGC patients. Future challenges may be expected to elucidate the benefit of eradication of H. pylori in the remnant stomach if it could reduce the risk for RGC, to build an optimal endoscopic surveillance strategy after DG by stratifying the risk for development of RGC, and to develop a specific staging system for RGC for the standardization of the treatment by prospecting the prognosis.

Helicobacter pylori infection following partial gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Gastric remnants are an inevitable consequence of partial gastrectomy following resection for gastric cancer. The presence of gastric stumps is itself a risk factor for redevelopment of gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is also a well-known characteristic of gastric carcinogenesis. H. pylori colonization in the remnant stomach therefore draws special interest from clinicians in terms of stomach cancer development and pathogenesis; however, the H. pylori-infected gastric remnant is quite different from the intact organ in several aspects and researchers have expressed conflicting opinions with respect to its role in pathogenesis. For instance, H. pylori infection of the gastric stump produced controversial results in several recent studies. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in the gastric stump has varied among recent reports. Gastritis developing in the remnant stomach presents with a unique pattern of inflammation that is different from the pattern seen in ordinary gastritis of the intact organ. Bile refluxate also has a significant influence on the colonization of the stomach stump, with several studies reporting mixed results as well. In contrast, the elimination of H. pylori from the gastric stump has shown a dramatic impact on eradication rate. H. pylori elimination is recognized to be important for cancer prevention and considerable agreement of opinion is seen among researchers. To overcome the current discrepancies in the literature regarding the role of H. pylori in the gastric stump, further research is required.

Unusual Helicobacter pylori in gastric resection specimens: an old friend with a new look

Immunohistochemical staining is useful in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis. The authors encountered gastric resection specimens with an unusual pattern of reactivity on H pylori immunostains where the typical morphology of the organism was not recognizable, but the characteristic chronic gastritis associated with infection was present. The authors sought to explore this phenomenon by retrospectively reviewing and immunostaining 28 gastric resection specimens for H pylori. Six cases with large clumps of immunohistochemically positive but morphologically unrecognizable material were identified on light microscopy, corresponding on electron microscopy to clusters of predominantly coccoid H pylori, some located intracellularly. Such organisms were not identifiable without immunohistochemistry, and the phenomenon was not encountered in gastric biopsies. The authors conclude that this staining pattern reflects true H pylori infection that is not diagnosable without immunohistochemistry. Based on its occurrence only in resections, it may be the result of hypoxic or other stress induced when the mucosa is not promptly fixed.

Advances in understanding the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and pathogenesis of gastric stump cancer

The incidence rate of gastric stump cancer has increased in recent years. The pathogenesis of gastric stump cancer is sophisticated and involves many factors, of which Helicobacter pylori infection is regarded as an important one. This article reviews the recent advances in understanding the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and pathogenesis of gastric stump cancer.

Latest results (12-21 years) of a prospective randomized study comparing Billroth II and Roux-en-Y anastomosis after a partial gastrectomy plus vagotomy in patients with duodenal ulcers

INTRODUCTION

After a partial resection of the stomach, the continuity of the gastrointestinal tract can be restored either by a Billroth II gastrojejunal anastomosis or a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy. Each procedure has its advantages and disadvantages.

OBJECTIVE

To determine through a prospective and random clinical trial, the clinical outcome and the endoscopic and histologic alterations of the distal esophagus and the gastric remnant in patients who received a partial distal gastrectomy due to duodenal ulcers and a Billroth II or Roux-en-Y reconstruction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this prospective random trial, a total of 75 patients with duodenal ulcers were included. A bilateral selective vagotomy and partial distal gastrectomy were performed in all patients. A Billroth II or Roux-en-Y 60-cm-long loop was randomly used for reconstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. During the latest follow-up clinical evaluation, upper endoscopy and biopsy samples from the distal esophagus and gastric remnant were obtained.

RESULTS

There was 1 operative mortality and 6 patients had some morbidity. The average follow-up period was 15.5 years (range, 11-21). Patients with Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy were significantly more asymptomatic and had greater Visick I grading than patients with Billroth II reconstruction (P < 0.001). In the distal esophagus, endoscopic findings were normal in 90% of the Roux-en-Y group, but only in 51% of the Billroth II group (P < 0.0009). Nearly 25% of the latter group had the appearance of a short-segment Barrett esophagus compared with 3% of the Roux-en-Y group (P < 0.0001). The gastric remnant endoscopic findings were normal in 100% of the Roux-en-Y group and in 18% of the Billroth II group (P < 0.02). Histologic analyses showed similar proportions of normal fundic mucosa and chronic active fundic gastritis. However, chronic atrophic fundic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were significantly more frequent after Billroth II reconstruction (P < 0.008). Helicobacter pylorus was present in a similar proportion of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This prospective and random study showed that Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is significantly better than a Billroth II reconstruction in patients with duodenal ulcers, through subjective and objective endoscopic and histologic evaluations during the latest follow-up evaluation.

Behavior of the infection by Helicobacter pylori of the gastric remnant after subtotal gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y anastomosis for benign diseases

INTRODUCTION

Reinfection by Helicobacter pylori of the gastric remnant after partial gastrectomy has been implicated in the development of gastric cancer at the gastric stump.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to determine the rate of infection by H. pylori after partial gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y anastomosis for benign disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 79 patients with long segment Barrett's esophagus were submitted to vagotomy, anti-reflux surgery, two thirds distal gastrectomy, and Roux-en-Y anastomosis 70 cm long. In all preoperative biopsy samples were taken from the antrum. After surgery, four endoscopic studies were performed in different periods of time. Mean follow-up was 98 months after operation (60-240).

RESULTS

Three groups of patients were identified: (a) group 1, 43 patients (54%) who had no preoperative infection by H. pylori and remained so late after surgery; (b) group 2, 21 patients (27%) who had no preoperative infection by H. pylori but presented infection of the gastric remnant that increased parallel to the length of follow-up; (c) group 3, 15 patients (19%) who presented infection by H. pylori before surgery. From them, 11 showed reinfection of the gastric remnant, while four patients had no reinfection.

CONCLUSION

After partial gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y anastomosis for benign disease, there are three different patterns of behavior regarding reinfection or not by H. pylori. A total of 41% of patients presented H. pylori reinfection at the gastric remnant after Roux-en-Y anastomosis, which increased parallel to the length of follow-up.

HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION AND TREATMENT OUTCOME IN AN URBAN AUSTRALIAN POPULATION

BACKGROUND

To examine the rate of Helicobacter pylori infection in a group of symptomatic patients using rapid urease test and antral histology and report on their treatment outcomes.

METHODS

From a single-surgeon series in a tertiary teaching hospital, 200 consecutive symptomatic patients undergoing their first diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during 2003-2004 were included in this retrospective audit. Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test results were compared with the results of conventional histological examination plus Giemsa staining. Eradication rates and demographic data were collected.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-nine of 200 (89.5%) patients had antral biopsies for histology and for CLOtest. The CLOtest was positive in 31% (56/179) of patients. Thirty-two of 56 (57%) patients had an early-positive CLOtest (<24 h). The remaining 43% (24/56) of patients had a late-positive CLOtest (>24 h). Histological examination of the antral biopsy showed evidence of H. pylori in 28/56 (50%) patients with a positive CLOtest. H. pylori eradication therapy was prescribed in 51/56 (91%) patients with a positive CLOtest. Forty-five of 51 (88%) of these patients had a subsequent urea breath test. Urea breath test was positive in 17/45 (29%) patients after H. pylori eradication therapy was prescribed.

CONCLUSION

Rate of H. pylori in this series of symptomatic patients was 31%. As nearly half of the CLOtests became positive after 24 h, we suggest that the CLOtest should be re-examined 24 h after gastroscopy. Standard antral histology and CLOtest were in agreement in only 50% of cases, suggesting that the CLOtest is a more sensitive test. The failure rate of 29% for initial H. pylori eradication therapy reinforces the need for follow up after treatment.