Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Texas Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Men: Implications for Gastric Cancer Risk Disparities

The Impact of Racial Disparities and the Social Determinants of Health on Esophageal and Gastric Cancer Outcomes

Reducing long-standing inequities in gastric and esophageal cancers is a priority of patients, providers, and policy makers. Many social determinants of health influence risk factors for disease development, incidence, treatment, and outcomes of gastric and esophageal cancers.

Recommendations for the management of gastrointestinal comorbidities with or without trofinetide use in Rett syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Although gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities are experienced by over 90% of individuals with Rett syndrome (RTT), a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with mutations in the MECP2 gene, many neurologists and pediatricians do not rank the management of these comorbidities among the most important treatment goals for RTT. Trofinetide, the first approved pharmacologic treatment for RTT, confers improvements in RTT symptoms but is associated with adverse GI events, primarily diarrhea and vomiting. Treatment strategies for GI comorbidities and drug-associated symptoms in RTT represent an unmet clinical need.

AREAS COVERED

This perspective covers GI comorbidities experienced by those with RTT, either with or without trofinetide treatment. PubMed literature searches were undertaken on treatment recommendations for the following conditions: constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, aspiration, dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux, nausea, gastroparesis, gastritis, and abdominal bloating.

EXPERT OPINION

The authors recommend a proactive approach to management of symptomatic GI comorbidities and drug-associated symptoms in RTT to enhance drug tolerance and improve the quality of life of affected individuals. Management strategies for common GI comorbidities associated with RTT are reviewed based on authors' clinical experience and augmented by recommendations from the literature.

Helicobacter pylori Immune Response in Children Versus Adults

H. pylori is perhaps the most prevalent human pathogen worldwide and infects almost half of the world's population. Despite the decreasing prevalence of infection overall, it is significant in developing countries. Most infections are acquired in childhood and persist for a lifetime unless treated. Children are often asymptomatic and often develop a tolerogenic immune response that includes T regulatory cells and their products, immunosuppressive cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-10, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). This contrasts to the gastric immune response seen in H. pylori-infected adults, where the response is mainly inflammatory, with predominant Th1 and Th17 cells, as well as, inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17. Therefore, compared to adults, infected children generally have limited gastric inflammation and peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori surreptitiously subverts immune defenses to persist in the human gastric mucosa for decades. The chronic infection might result in clinically significant diseases in adults, such as peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. This review compares the infection in children and adults and highlights the H. pylori virulence mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis and immune evasion.

Cancer Epidemiology in Hispanic Populations: What Have We Learned and Where Do We Need to Make Progress?

The Hispanic/Latino(x) population (H/L) in the United States of America is heterogeneous and fast growing. Cancer is the number one cause of death among H/Ls, accounting for 21% of deaths. Whereas for the most common cancers, incidence rates are lower in H/Ls compared with non-H/L White (NHW) individuals, H/Ls have a higher incidence of liver, stomach, cervical, penile, and gallbladder cancers. H/L patients tend to be diagnosed at more advanced stages for breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers, and melanoma compared with NHW individuals. Etiologic and cancer outcomes research among H/Ls lags other populations. In this review, we provide a summary of challenges, opportunities, and research priorities related to cancer etiology, cancer outcomes, and survivorship to make progress in addressing scientific gaps. Briefly, we prioritize the need for more research on determinants of obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its progression to liver cancer, stomach and gallbladder cancers, and pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We emphasize the need to improve cancer screening, early detection of cancer, and survivorship care. We highlight critical resources needed to make progress in cancer epidemiologic studies among H/L populations, including the importance of training the next generation of cancer epidemiologists conducting research in H/Ls.

Seroprevalence and Determinants of Helicobacter pylori Infection in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Helicobacter pylori infection is the primary known risk factor for gastric cancer. Despite the global decline in H. pylori prevalence, this infection remains a major public health concern in developing areas, including Latin America. Our study aimed to determine H. pylori seroprevalence and identified its determinants among Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States (U.S.).

METHODS

The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a population-based sample of self-identified Hispanics/Latinos (n = 16,144) in four U.S. communities, aged 18 to 74 years, recruited from randomly selected households using a stratified two-stage area probability sample design based on sampling households within sampled census block groups weighted for differential response rates. Anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using plasma samples. We calculated adjusted seroprevalence (i.e., predicted margins) from multivariable logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The overall weighted H. pylori seroprevalence was 57% among HCHS/SOL participants, with 38% and 62% seropositivity among U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born individuals, respectively. Age-adjusted prevalence varied by self-reported Hispanic/Latino background, ranging from 47% in Puerto Rican to 72% in Central American backgrounds. Adjusted H. pylori seroprevalence was higher in the following groups: older age, male sex, lower education, non-U.S. born status, smoking, greater number of missing teeth, fewer doctor visits, lower ferritin level, and hepatitis A seropositivity.

CONCLUSIONS

H. pylori seroprevalence in Hispanics/Latinos remains high and differed significantly by Hispanic/Latino background. H. pylori seropositivity is strongly associated with poor socioeconomic conditions. These findings highlight the ongoing importance of this bacterial infection in the U.S.

Racial Differences in Helicobacter pylori Prevalence in the US: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

Helicobacter pylori remains an important risk factor for noncardia gastric cancer and a spectrum of disease from H. pylori infection to gastric cancer. As a step toward improved clinical strategies for gastric cancer prevention, we assessed racial differences in prevalence of H. pylori from studies across the United States. This systematic review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the literature regarding racial differences in H. pylori in the United States.

METHODS:

MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science database searches were performed through May 26, 2021. Ultimately, 25 studies that reported H. pylori infection prevalence by race were included.

RESULTS:

All studies included in the review documented higher H. pylori prevalence in Blacks and Hispanics than in whites. The ratio of H. pylori prevalence for Blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites ranged from 1.3 to 5.4, and the ratio for Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites ranged from 1.8 to 4.4. Of the 5 studies that examined H. pylori CagA prevalence by race, 4 found higher prevalence among Blacks and Hispanics compared to whites, with CagA prevalence ranging from 19% to 77% in whites, 62% to 90% in Blacks, and 64% to 74% in Hispanics.

CONCLUSION:

In this review, across 25 studies, varying in underlying population, time period, and geographic location, Blacks and Hispanics appeared to have a higher prevalence of H. pylori infection than whites. This increased prevalence of H. pylori among populations also at a higher risk of gastric cancer is relevant in the clinical setting for decision-making related to H. pylori testing and gastric cancer prevention.

Gastric adenocarcinoma burden and late-stage diagnosis in Latino and non-Latino populations in the United States and Texas, during 2004-2016: A multilevel analysis

Background

Gastric cancer disproportionately affects Latinos, but little is known about regional effects and risk factors. We compared primary incidence, late‐stage diagnosis, and risk factors for gastric adenocarcinoma (GCA) from 2004 to 2016 in Latinos and non‐Latinos in the United States, Texas (TX), and South Texas (STX).

Methods

We collected case data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) and the Texas Cancer Registry. We generated average annual age‐adjusted incidence rates, rate ratios (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using SEER*Stat software and analyzed the cases by anatomic site, demographics, and county‐level risk factors using SAS 9.4. We constructed multilevel logistic regression models for late‐stage GCA, adjusting for patient‐ and county‐level characteristics.

Results

Latinos had higher overall GCA incidence rates in all regions, with the greatest disparities in overlap GCA in STX males (RR 4.39; 95% CI: 2.85, 6.93). There were no differences in cardia GCA rates for non‐Hispanic Whites (NHWs) and Latino women in all regions. Younger patients, patients with overlapping or not otherwise specified (NOS) lesions, and patients diagnosed during 2012–2016 had higher odds of late‐stage GCA. The stratification by location showed no differences in late‐stage disease between NHWs and Latinos. The stratification by anatomic site showed Latinos with cardia GCA were more likely to have late‐stage GCA than NHWs (OR: 1.13, p = 0.008). At the county level, higher odds of late‐stage GCA were associated with medium and high social deprivation levels in TX without STX (OR: 1.25 and 1.20, p = 0.007 and 0.028, respectively), and medium social deprivation index (SDI) in patients with NOS GCA (OR: 1.21, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

STX Latinos experience greater GCA disparities than those in TX and the United States. Younger age and social deprivation increase the risk for late‐stage GCA, while Latinos and women are at higher risk specifically for late‐stage cardia GCA. There is a need for population‐specific, culturally responsive intervention and prevention measures, and additional research to elucidate contributing risk factors.

Latinos had higher gastric adenocarcinoma incidence than non‐Latinos in the U.S., Texas and South Texas from 2004 to 2016. Younger age and social deprivation increased risk of late‐stage diagnosis, while Latino ethnicity and female gender increased risk of late‐stage gastric adenocarcinoma of the cardia specifically.

Increasing Incidence of Advanced Non-cardia Gastric Cancers Among Younger Hispanics in the USA

BACKGROUND

Recent findings indicate a shift in the epidemiology of non-cardia gastric cancer in the USA. In particular, an uprising trend in incidence rates among non-Hispanic whites aged < 50 years.

AIM

To examine secular trends in the incidence of non-cardia gastric cancer among adults aged < 50 years in the USA by race/ethnicity and stage at diagnosis.

METHODS

Age-adjusted incidence rates and trends in adults aged < 50 years and ≥ 50 years were calculated using data from all 50 states in the National Program of Cancer Registries and the SEER program. We used joinpoint regression to compute average annual percent change (AAPC) in cancer incidence rates.

RESULTS

Overall, we found an increasing trend of non-cardia gastric cancer among non-Hispanic whites aged < 50 years between 2001 and 2014 (AAPC = 1.24, 95% CI 0.49, 1.99). However, among non-Hispanic whites aged < 50 years, the rates of localized disease increased (AAPC = 5.28, 95% CI 3.94, 6.64), whereas the rates of distant stage non-cardia gastric cancer remained unchanged (AAPC = 0.68, 95% CI - 0.63, 2.00). Conversely, we found a significant increase in rates of distant stage non-cardia gastric cancer among Hispanics aged < 50 years (AAPC = 1.78, 95% CI 0.66, 2.91). Non-cardia gastric cancer incidence rates decreased over the study period among non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics aged ≥ 50 years.

CONCLUSION

Given the rapid growth of the young Hispanic population in the USA, preventative strategies for non-cardia gastric cancer cannot neglect this population.

Surgical referral for cholecystectomy in patients with atypical symptoms

BACKGROUND

Cholelithiasis referrals often present with concomitant or isolated atypical symptoms such as reflux, bloating, or epigastric pain. We sought to identify the impact of preoperative symptomatology of atypical or dyspepsia-type biliary colic on operative and non-operative clinical outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients referred for gallstone disease from 2014 to 2018 at a single institution in Los Angeles County was performed.

RESULTS

Of 746 patients evaluated for gallstone disease, 87.4% (n = 652) underwent cholecystectomy - 90.8% (n = 592) had symptom resolution postoperatively whereas 9.2% (n = 60) did not. Over half presented with concomitant atypical and/or dyspepsia symptoms (n = 411). Heartburn/reflux was significantly associated with unresolved symptoms postoperatively (OR 2.1,1.0-4.4, p = 0.04). Overall, 11.1% (n = 83) of all 746 patients and 20.2% of patients with atypical and/or dyspepsia symptoms improved with medical management of gastritis or Helicobacter pylori triple therapy pre/post-operatively.

CONCLUSION

Atypical biliary colic and/or dyspepsia is associated with unresolved symptoms following cholecystectomy. Such patients may benefit from H. pylori testing or PPI trial prior to cholecystectomy.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis in gastric cancer: Are Hispanics at higher risk?

BACKGROUND

A recent study from our group identified Hispanic race/ethnicity as an independent predictor of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) in gastric cancer. We sought to identify the tumor factors that might contribute to this strong association in Hispanics.

METHODS

California Cancer Registry data were used to identify patients diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma from 2004 to 2014. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine odds ratios for cancer stage, tumor location, grade, histology, and PC.

RESULTS

Of 16,275 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who met inclusion criteria, 6463 (39.7%) were non-Hispanic White (NHW), 4953 (30.4%) were Hispanic, 1020 (6.3%) were non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and 3915 (23.6%) were Asian/other. Compared to NHW, Hispanics were more likely to have a poorly differentiated grade (65.9% vs. 57.6%; p < .001), signet ring adenocarcinoma (28.1% vs. 17.6%; p < .001) and stage IV (51.9% vs. 45.0%; p < .001) gastric cancer. The proportion of stage IV patients with PC was also significantly higher in Hispanics compared to NHW, NHB, and Asian/other (28.5% vs. 16.6%, 20.5%, and 25.2%, respectively; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Hispanic ethnicity is an independent predictor of aggressive tumor phenotype and PC. Disproportionate incidence of signet ring adenocarcinoma and PC highlight the need to explore the genomic differences in Hispanic gastric cancer.

Relationship between African Biogeographical Ancestry and Helicobacter pylori infection in children of a large Latin American urban center

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The relationship between race/ethnicity and H pylori infection has been extensively reported, with a higher prevalence of infection observed in black individuals. Whether such differences are due to genetic factors underlying African ancestry remains to be clarified. In the present study, we evaluated the association between the proportion of individual African ancestry and H pylori infection in a sample of 1046 children living in a large Latin American urban center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Estimation of individual biogeographical ancestry was based on 370,539 SNPs and performed using the ADMIXTURE software. Multivariate logistic regression models and mediation analysis considering the influence of previously recognized socioenvironmental risk factors to H pylori infection were performed. All analyses were conducted using the statistical package STATA v.14.0.

RESULTS

Each 10% increase in the proportion of individual African ancestry was positively and independently associated with H pylori infection in our population (adjusted OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.10-1.36, P < .001). Mediation analysis demonstrated that only 9.23% of the effect of the individual African ancestry on H pylori infection was explained by factors such as household income, the absence of street paving and crowding.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that genetic variants that covariate with African ancestry may explain an important part of the racial differences observed for the prevalence of H pylori infection.

Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection

This review provides the most recent data concerning the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection. Overall, the trend of declining prevalence of H. pylori infection is continuing, with major evidence available from studies in Europe. However, in some parts of the world, for example, in some countries in the Middle East, the prevalence has remained relatively stable. A number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been published during the past year indicating the lowest prevalence rates of the infection in Oceania (24.4%), the highest in Africa (79.1%), and the global annual recurrence rate of H. pylori (4.3%). The recurrence rates were found to be directly related to the human development index and prevalence of infection. Several studies have addressed the correlation between H. pylori infection and sociodemographic conditions, source of drinking water and dietary factors. A hypothesis on the role of insects and yeasts in transmitting H. pylori has been suggested and addressed. Helicobacter sp. have been found in flow flies in Brazil. So far there is no evidence available that H. pylori may survive and persist on the outer body of the fly.

Incidence of gastric cancer in the USA during 1999 to 2013: a 50-state analysis

BACKGROUND

The incidence of gastric cancer, while declining in many places worldwide, is characterized by considerable geographical variability. The USA has large racial, ethnic and regional variation; we collected data from all 50 states to better characterize recent changes in gastric cancer incidence nationwide.

METHODS

Annual gastric cancer incidence rates from 1999 to 2013 were extracted from the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) registry. Secular trends of gastric cancer incidence were examined overall and by sociodemographic factors and states. We used Joinpoint regression to compute annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). SEER 13 registries data were extracted to examine the secular trends by cardia and non-cardia gastric cancers.

RESULTS

Overall gastric cancer incidence decreased until 2007 (APC = -1.55, 95% CI: -1.88, -1.21), and remained stable thereafter (APC = -0.32, 95% CI: -0.84, 0.20). However, rates increased among persons <50 years of age (AAPC = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.16), especially among non-Hispanic white females and Hispanic females. Incidence of non-cardia gastric cancer increased among persons <50 years of age (AAPC = 0.69, 95% CI: -0.06, 1.44), whereas rates of gastric cardia cancer remained unchanged. States with rapid increases in high-risk population groups (e.g. Hispanic females aged <50), including California and Texas, had highest annual increases in gastric cancer incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Divergent trends for gastric cancer incidence were observed in the USA. Incidence rates, particularly for non-cardia gastric cancer, were stable or increasing among persons aged  <50 years.