Distinct Clinicopathological Features and Prognosis of Helicobacter pylori Negative Gastric Cancer

Association between Helicobacter pylori infection, mismatch repair, HER2 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The influence of Helicobacter-pylori (H. pylori) infection and the characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels has not been extensively studied. Analysis of infiltrating-immune-cell subtypes as well as survival is necessary to obtain comprehensive information.

AIM

To determine the rates of deficient mismatch-repair (dMMR), HER2-status and H. pylori infection and their association with TIL levels in GC.

METHODS

Samples from 503 resected GC tumors were included and TIL levels were evaluated following the international-TILs-working-group recommendations with assessment of the intratumoral (IT), stromal (ST) and invasive-border (IB) compartments. The density of CD3, CD8 and CD163 immune cells, and dMMR and HER2-status were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). H. pylori infection was evaluated by routine histology and quantitative PCR (qPCR) in a subset of samples.

RESULTS

dMMR was found in 34.4%, HER2+ in 5% and H. pylori-positive in 55.7% of samples. High IT-TIL was associated with grade-3 (P = 0.038), while ST-TIL with grade-1 (P < 0.001), intestinal-histology (P < 0.001) and no-recurrence (P = 0.003). dMMR was associated with high TIL levels in the ST (P = 0.019) and IB (P = 0.01) compartments, and ST-CD3 (P = 0.049) and ST-CD8 (P = 0.05) densities. HER2- was associated with high IT-CD8 (P = 0.009). H. pylori-negative was associated with high IT-TIL levels (P = 0.009) when assessed by routine-histology, and with high TIL levels in the 3 compartments (P = 0.002-0.047) and CD8 density in the IT and ST compartments (P = 0.001) when assessed by qPCR. A longer overall survival was associated with low IT-CD163 (P = 0.003) and CD8/CD3 (P = 0.001 in IT and P = 0.002 in ST) and high IT-CD3 (P = 0.021), ST-CD3 (P = 0.003) and CD3/CD163 (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

TIL levels were related to dMMR and H. pylori-negativity. Low CD8/CD3 and high CD163/CD3 were associated with lower recurrence and longer survival.

Association between Helicobacter pylori infection, mismatch repair, HER2 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The influence of Helicobacter-pylori (H. pylori) infection and the characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels has not been extensively studied. Analysis of infiltrating-immune-cell subtypes as well as survival is necessary to obtain comprehensive information.

AIM

To determine the rates of deficient mismatch-repair (dMMR), HER2-status and H. pylori infection and their association with TIL levels in GC.

METHODS

Samples from 503 resected GC tumors were included and TIL levels were evaluated following the international-TILs-working-group recommendations with assessment of the intratumoral (IT), stromal (ST) and invasive-border (IB) compartments. The density of CD3, CD8 and CD163 immune cells, and dMMR and HER2-status were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). H. pylori infection was evaluated by routine histology and quantitative PCR (qPCR) in a subset of samples.

RESULTS

dMMR was found in 34.4%, HER2+ in 5% and H. pylori-positive in 55.7% of samples. High IT-TIL was associated with grade-3 (P = 0.038), while ST-TIL with grade-1 (P < 0.001), intestinal-histology (P < 0.001) and no-recurrence (P = 0.003). dMMR was associated with high TIL levels in the ST (P = 0.019) and IB (P = 0.01) compartments, and ST-CD3 (P = 0.049) and ST-CD8 (P = 0.05) densities. HER2- was associated with high IT-CD8 (P = 0.009). H. pylori-negative was associated with high IT-TIL levels (P = 0.009) when assessed by routine-histology, and with high TIL levels in the 3 compartments (P = 0.002-0.047) and CD8 density in the IT and ST compartments (P = 0.001) when assessed by qPCR. A longer overall survival was associated with low IT-CD163 (P = 0.003) and CD8/CD3 (P = 0.001 in IT and P = 0.002 in ST) and high IT-CD3 (P = 0.021), ST-CD3 (P = 0.003) and CD3/CD163 (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

TIL levels were related to dMMR and H. pylori-negativity. Low CD8/CD3 and high CD163/CD3 were associated with lower recurrence and longer survival.

Impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease on the incidence of Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer

AIM

The incidence of Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer (HPNGC) is increasing worldwide. Recently, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been reported to be associated with various cancers, but its association with HPNGC has not been reported. We aimed to identify important independent factors associated with HPNGC, including MAFLD.

METHODS

This multicenter observational cohort study enrolled patients with gastric cancer (n = 1078) and health checkup examinees (n = 17 408). We analyzed patients with HPNGC (n = 26) and healthy participants with no H. pylori infection or any abnormal findings on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (n = 1130). A logistic regression model was used to identify independent factors associated with HPNGC. The priority of the factors associated with HPNGC was evaluated using a decision-tree algorithm and random forest analysis.

RESULTS

Among all patients with gastric cancer, 2.4% (26/1078) were diagnosed with HPNGC (mean age, 64 years; male/female, 13/13). In the logistic regression analysis, age, smoking, and MAFLD (odds ratio, 6.5359; 95% confidence interval, 2.5451-16.7841; p < 0.0001) were identified as independent factors associated with HPNGC. Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease was also identified as the most important classifier for the presence of HPNGC in decision-tree analyses. Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer was observed in 5.2% of patients with MAFLD and 0.8% of patients without MAFLD. In the random forest analysis of the HPNGC, MAFLD was identified as the distinguishing factor with the highest variable importance (0.32).

CONCLUSIONS

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease was the most influential independent factor associated with HPNGC. These findings suggest that fatty liver and metabolic dysfunction could be involved in the pathogenesis of HPNGC.

Anti-Helicobacter pylori Treatment in Patients With Gastric Cancer After Radical Gastrectomy

Importance

Whether anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment can provide survival benefits for patients with gastric cancer who are diagnosed with H pylori infection is an area with limited research.

Objective

To explore the potential survival benefits of anti-H pylori treatment after radical gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer and presurgical confirmation of H pylori infection.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from patients with gastric cancer treated between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018, and followed up for outcome ascertainment until May 19, 2021. Propensity score matching was performed in patients treated with or without anti-H pylori treatment. This study involved a single institute in a comprehensive cancer treatment and research center located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. The study included patients with gastric or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who underwent curative gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and tested positive for H pylori infection. Data were analyzed from March to June 2023.

Exposure

Anti-H pylori treatment, which primarily includes triple therapy regimens consisting of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and omeprazole for 14 days.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Clinical outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards regression model. Subgroup analysis based on crucial clinical information was also conducted.

Results

All 1293 patients (median [IQR] age, 59 [50-65] years; 860 [66.5%] male) were divided into 2 groups, with 125 patients in the anti-H pylori treatment group and 1168 patients in the non-anti-H pylori treatment group based on whether they received anti-H pylori treatment during the perioperative period and the follow-up. Survival analysis showed that the 5-year OS rates were 94.1% (95% CI, 89.3%-99.2%) in the anti-H pylori group and 73.8% (95% CI, 70.7%-77.0%) in the non-anti-H pylori group, and the hazard ratio (HR) of these 2 groups was 0.33 (95% CI, 0.18-0.60; P < .001). The survival benefit remained after propensity score matching (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.99; P = .048). Multivariable analysis for OS and DFS further showed the survival benefit of anti-H pylori treatment, with HRs of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.17-0.87; P = .02) and 0.48 (95% CI, 0.28-0.83; P = .008), respectively. Among patients with TNM stage II/III disease who received adjuvant chemotherapy, anti-H pylori treatment was associated with survival benefits (OS: HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.24-0.99; P = .046), whereas among those who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, anti-H pylori treatment was not associated with survival benefits (OS: HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.04-2.08; P = .22).

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study indicates that anti-H pylori treatment may be associated with improved survival in patients with gastric cancer who have H pylori infections. The study reinforces the importance of including H pylori screening and treatment in the surgical treatment of these patients.

Helicobacter pylori-associated Chronic Atrophic Gastritis and Progression of Gastric Carcinogenesis

Chronic inflammation due to a Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a representative cause of gastric cancer that can promote gastric carcinogenesis by abnormally activating immune cells and increasing the inflammatory cytokines levels. H. pylori infections directly cause DNA double-strand breaks in gastric epithelial cells and genetic damage by increasing the enzymatic activity of cytidine deaminase. Eventually, gastric cancer is induced through dysplasia. Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes is an important cause of gastric cancer because of a H. pylori infection. In addition, the changes in gastric microbiota and the mucosal inflammatory changes associated with a co-infection with the Epstein-Barr virus are associated with gastric cancer development. DNA damage induced by H. pylori and the subsequent responses of gastric stem cells have implications for gastric carcinogenesis. Although the pathogenesis of H. pylori has been established, many uncertainties remain, requiring more study.

miR-21 Targets ASPP2 to Inhibit Apoptosis via CHOP-Mediated Signaling in Helicobacter pylori-Infected Gastric Cancer Cells

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection affects cell survival pathways, including apoptosis and proliferation in host cells, and disruption of this balance is the key event in the development of H. pylori-induced gastric cancer (HPGC). H. pylori infection induces alterations in microRNAs expression that may be involved in GC development. Bioinformatic analysis showed that microRNA-21 (miR-21) is significantly upregulated in HPGC. Furthermore, quantitative proteomics and in silico prediction were employed to identify potential targets of miR-21. Following functional enrichment and clustered interaction network analyses, five candidates of miR-21 targets, PDCD4, ASPP2, DAXX, PIK3R1, and MAP3K1, were found across three functional clusters in association with cell death and survival, cellular movement, and cellular growth and proliferation. ASPP2 is inhibited by H. pylori-induced miR-21 overexpression. Moreover, ASPP2 levels are inversely correlated with miR-21 levels in HPGC tumor tissues. Thus, ASPP2 was identified as a miR-21 target in HPGC. Here, we observed that H. pylori-induced ASPP2 suppression enhances resistance to apoptosis in GC cells using apoptosis assays. Using protein interaction network and coimmunoprecipitation assay, we identified CHOP as a direct mediator of the ASPP2 proapoptotic activity in H. pylori-infected GC cells. Mechanistically, ASPP2 suppression promotes p300-mediated CHOP degradation, in turn inhibiting CHOP-mediated transcription of Noxa, Bak, and suppression of Bcl-2 to enact antiapoptosis in the GC cells after H. pylori infection. Clinicopathological analysis revealed correlations between decreased ASPP2 expression and higher HPGC risk and poor prognosis. In summary, the discovery of H. pylori-induced antiapoptosis via miR-21-mediated suppression of ASPP2/CHOP-mediated signaling provides a novel perspective for developing HPGC management and treatment.

Clinical value of serum pepsinogen in the diagnosis and treatment of gastric diseases

Pepsinogen, secreted from the gastric mucosa, is the precursor of pepsin. It is categorized as pepsinogen 1 and pepsinogen 2 based on its immunogenicity. The pepsinogen content that can enter the blood circulation through the capillaries of the gastric mucosa is approximately 1% and remains stable all the time. The pepsinogen content in serum will change with the pathological changes of gastric mucosa. Therefore, the level of pepsinogen in serum can play a role in serologic biopsy to reflect the function and morphology of different regions of gastric mucosa and serve as an indicator of gastric disease. This study conducts relevant research on serum pepsinogen 1, pepsinogen 2, and the ratio of pepsinogen 1 to pepsinogen 2, and reviews their important value in clinical diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, gastric ulcer, and even gastric carcinoma, providing ideas for other researchers.

Effects of helicobacter pylori on tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy responses

Helicobacter pylori is closely associated with gastric cancer. During persistent infection, Helicobacter pylori can form a microenvironment in gastric mucosa which facilitates the survival and colony formation of Helicobacter pylori. Tumor stromal cells are involved in this process, including tumor-associated macrophages, mesenchymal stem cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and so on. The immune checkpoints are also regulated by Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori virulence factors can also act as immunogens or adjuvants to elicit or enhance immune responses, indicating their potential applications in vaccine development and tumor immunotherapy. This review highlights the effects of Helicobacter pylori on the immune microenvironment and its potential roles in tumor immunotherapy responses.

Role of Chk1 gene in molecular classification and prognosis of gastric cancer using immunohistochemistry and LORD-Q assay

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to assess the prognostic value of the Chk1 gene in the DNA damage response pathway in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: Expression levels of the Chk1 were measured in 220 GC tumor tissues and adjacent healthy/noncancerous tissues using real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining. Genomic instability in GC patients was measured using the long-run real-time PCR technique for DNA-damage quantification assay and comet assay. Results: Significantly downregulated expression of Chk1 was observed at the mRNA level (p < 0.0001) and protein level (p < 0.0001). Significantly increased frequency of lesions/10 kb and comets was observed in tumor tissues compared with control tissues. Conclusion: The data suggest that downregulated expression of Chk1 and positive Heliobacter pylori infection status may have prognostic significance in GC.

"True" Helicobacter pylori infection and non-cardia gastric cancer: A pooled analysis within the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori is the most important risk factor for non-cardia gastric cancer (NCGC); however, the magnitude of the association varies across epidemiological studies. This study aimed to quantify the association between H. pylori infection and NCGC, using different criteria to define infection status.

METHODS

A pooled analysis of individual-level H. pylori serology data from eight international studies (1325 NCGC and 3121 controls) from the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Consortium was performed. Cases and controls with a negative H. pylori infection status were reclassified as positive considering the presence of anti-Cag A antibodies, gastric atrophy, or advanced stage at diagnosis, as available and applicable. A two-stage approach was used to pool study-specific adjusted odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). A meta-analysis of published prospective studies assessing H. pylori seropositivity in NCGCs was conducted.

RESULTS

The OR for the association between serology-defined H. pylori and NCGC was 1.45 (95% CI: 0.87-2.42), which increased to 4.79 (95% CI: 2.39-9.60) following the reclassification of negative H. pylori infection. The results were consistent across strata of sociodemographic characteristics, clinical features and lifestyle factors, though significant differences were observed according to geographic region-a stronger association in Asian studies. The pooled risk estimates from the literature were 3.01 (95% CI: 2.22-4.07) for ELISA or EIA and 9.22 (95% CI: 3.12-27.21) for immunoblot or multiplex serology.

CONCLUSION

The NCGC risk estimate from StoP based on the reclassification of H. pylori seronegative individuals is consistent with the risk estimates obtained from the literature. Our classification algorithm may be useful for future studies.

Helicobacter pylori modulated host immunity in gastric cancer patients with S-1 adjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Paradoxically, Helicobacter pylori-positive (HP+) advanced gastric cancer patients have a better prognosis than those who are HP-negative (HP-). Immunologic and statistical analyses can be used to verify whether systemic mechanisms modulated by HP are involved in this more favorable outcome.

METHODS

A total of 658 advanced gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy were enrolled. HP infection, mismatch repair, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and CD4/CD8 proteins, and microsatellite instability were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) rates were analyzed after stratifying clinicopathological factors. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Among 491 cases that were analyzed, 175 (36%) and 316 (64%) cases were HP+ and HP⁻, respectively. Analysis of RFS indicated an interaction of HP status among the subgroups for S-1 dose (Pinteraction=0.0487) and PD-L1 (P = .016). HP+ patients in the PD-L1⁻ group had significantly higher five-year OS and RFS than HP- patients (81% vs. 68%; P = .0011; HR 0.477; 95% CI, 0.303-0.751 and 76% vs. 63% P = .0011; HR 0.508; 95% CI, 0.335-0.771, respectively). The five-year OS and RFS was also significantly higher for HP+ compared to HP- patients in the PD-L1-/S-1-reduced group (86% vs. 46%; P = .0014; HR 0.205; 95% CI, 0.07-0.602 and 83% vs. 34%; P = .001; HR 0.190; 95% CI, 0.072-0.498, respectively). Thus, HP status was identified as one of the most potentially important independent factors to predict prolonged survival.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective study suggests that an HP-modulated host immune system may contribute to prolonged survival in the absence of immune escape mechanisms of gastric cancer.

H. pylori Infection and Virulence Factors cagA and vacA (s and m Regions) in Gastric Adenocarcinoma from Pará State, Brazil

H. pylori shows a great variability in genes associated with virulence, which may influence properties related to gastric adenocarcinoma initiation and progression. Among them, cagA and vacA show a strong positive association with the disease. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 281 samples of gastric adenocarcinoma, collected at a cancer reference center in the Brazilian Amazon. Detection of H. pylori was proceeded by PCR of the ureA and 16S genes. Positive samples were subjected to the cagA detection and vacA typing. The bacteria were observed in 32.03% of the samples. Positivity for H. pylori was associated with advanced age (p = 0.0093) and metastases (p = 0.0073). Among the positive cases, 80% (72/90) had the cagA gene. For the “s” position of the vacA gene, 98.8% (83/84) of the bacteria had genotype s1 and 1.2% (1/84) were genotyped as s2. For the “m” position, the results were: 63.6% (56/88) with m1 genotype, 2.3% (2/88) genotyped as m2 and 34.1% (30/88) m1/m2. Virulence factors did not impact an increase in the association with age or metastases. In conclusion, H. pylori infection is associated with malignant phenotype cases of gastric adenocarcinoma, involving metastases. The virulence factors related to the cagA and vacA genes showed a high prevalence in the Brazilian Amazon.

Positive H. pylori status predicts better prognosis of non-cardiac gastric cancer patients: results from cohort study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous researches have associated Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with a prognosis of gastric cancer (GC), however, without a concert conclusion. This study aimed to study this issue further by a prospective cohort study and a meta-analysis.

METHODS

Histologically diagnosed gastric cancer (GC) patients were recruited into the primary prospective cohort study between January 2009 to December 2013. All the patients were followed-up periodically to record information on post-surgery therapy and overall survival status. The pre-surgery status of H. pylori was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A meta-analysis was conducted after retrieving related researches in the databases of PubMed and Embase up to April 2020. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were summarized to validate the relationship between H. pylori infection and the survival time of GC patients. I² statistics and Q test were used to assess the heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses were performed using Galbraith's plot, leave-one-out analysis, subgroup analyses and meta-regression to explore the sources of heterogeneity and the stability of the summary results.

RESULTS

A total of 743 GC patients with radical tumorectomy were included prospectively and 516 (69.4%) were positive on H. pylori. H. pylori-positive patients tended to survive longer than -negative ones (HR 0.92, 95%CI: 0.74-1.15), though the tendency was not statistically significant. Cohort studies on the prognosis of GC were retrieved comprehensively by assessing the full-text and 59 published studies, together with the result of our study, were included in the further meta-analysis. The summarized results related the positive status of H. pylori to better overall survival (HR 0.81, 95%CI: 0.72-0.90) and disease-free survival (HR 0.83, 95%CI: 0.67-0.99). Results from subgroup analyses indicated that the pooled magnitude of this association was relatively lower in studies not referring to H. pylori in title and abstract.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, gastric cancer patients with H. pylori have a better prognosis than patients of H. pylori negative. More stringent surveillance strategies may be necessary for patients with H. pylori negative at cancer diagnosis.

Relationship of prognostic factors in stomach cancer with Helicobacter pylori: A retrospective study

Background and study aims

The prognostic value of H. pylori, which infects more than half of the human population living in the world and plays a role in gastric cancer pathogenesis, is controversial. Our aim is to investigate the relationship between H. pylori and prognostic factors in gastric cancer.

Patients and methods

The data of 110 patients (38 females and 72 males) that underwent surgeries due to gastric cancer between 2014 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The relationships between survival (disease-free and overall) and factors such as p53, HER2/neu, Ki-67, neutrophil and platelet lymphocyte ratio (NLR / PLR), histopathological and demographic characteristics were examined. In addition, the results of H. pylori positive and negative groups were compared.

Results

Sixty-one (55%) patients were H. pylori negative and 49 (45%) were positive. In multivariate analysis, TNM stage, lymph node capsule invasion and NLR were determined as independent prognostic factors in both disease-free and overall survival. Age>62 and PLR>14.3 were determined as independent predictive factors of poor prognosis in overall survival. In univariate analysis, tumor diameter of >4.3 cm, lymphovascular and perineural invasion, and diffuse p53 expression were determined as predictive factors of poor prognosis in disease-free and overall survival. The effectiveness of these markers in prognosis was not different between H. pylori negative and positive groups.

Conclusion

While age, tumor diameter, TNM stage, lymph node capsule invasion, perineural and lymphovascular invasion, diffuse p53, PLR, and NLR were determined as prognostic factors in gastric cancer, these factors were not affected by the presence of H. pylori.

Identifying the profile of Helicobacter pylori negative gastric cancers: a case only analysis within the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori negative gastric cancer (HpNGC) can be as low as 1%, when infection is assessed using more sensitive tests or considering the presence of gastric atrophy. HpNGC may share a high-risk profile contributing to the occurrence of cancer in the absence of infection. We estimated the proportion of HpNGC, using different criteria to define infection status, and compared HpNGC and positive cases regarding gastric cancer risk factors.

METHODS

Cases from 12 studies from the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project providing data on H. pylori infection status determined by serological test were included. HpNGC was reclassified as positive (eight studies) when cases presented CagA markers (four studies), gastric atrophy (six studies), or advanced stage at diagnosis (three studies), and were compared with positive cases. A two-stage approach (random-effects models) was used to pool study-specific prevalence and adjusted odds ratios (ORs).

RESULTS

Among non-cardia cases, the pooled prevalence of HpNGC was 22.4% (n=166/853) and decreased to 7.0% (n=55) when considering CagA status; estimates for all criteria were 21.8% (n=276/1325) and 6.6% (n=97), respectively. HpNGC had a family history of gastric cancer more often (OR=2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.03-4.61) and were current smokers (OR=2.16, 95%CI:0.52-9.02).

CONCLUSION

This study found a low prevalence of HpNGC, who are more likely to have a family history of gastric cancer in first-degree relatives.

IMPACT

Our results support that H. pylori infection is present in most non-cardia gastric cancers, and suggest that HpNGC may have distinct patterns of exposure to other risk factors.

Relationship of prognostic factors in stomach cancer with helicobacter pylori: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

The prognostic value of H. pylori, which infects more than half of the human population living in the world and plays a role in gastric cancer pathogenesis, is controversial. Our aim is to investigate the relationship between H. pylori and prognostic factors in gastric cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The data of 110 patients (38 females and 72 males) that underwent surgeries due to gastric cancer between 2014 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The relationships between survival (disease-free and overall) and factors such as p53, HER2/neu, Ki-67, neutrophil and platelet lymphocyte ratio (NLR / PLR), histopathological and demographic characteristics were examined. In addition, the results of H. pylori positive and negative groups were compared.

RESULTS

Sixty-one (55%) patients were H. pylori negative and 49 (45%) were positive. In multivariate analysis, TNM stage, lymph node capsule invasion and NLR were determined as independent prognostic factors in both disease-free and overall survival. Age>62 and PLR>14.3 were determined as independent predictive factors of poor prognosis in overall survival. In univariate analysis, tumor diameter of >4.3 cm, lymphovascular and perineural invasion, and diffuse p53 expression were determined as predictive factors of poor prognosis in disease-free and overall survival. The effectiveness of these markers in prognosis was not different between H. pylori negative and positive groups.

CONCLUSION

While age, tumor diameter, TNM stage, lymph node capsule invasion, perineural and lymphovascular invasion, diffuse p53, PLR, and NLR were determined as prognostic factors in gastric cancer, these factors were not affected by the presence of H. pylori.

Systematic profiling of alternative splicing in Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer and their clinical significance

Background

Alternative splicing (AS) may cause structural and functional variations in the protein to promote the proliferation of tumor cells. However, there is no comprehensive analysis of the clinical significance of AS in Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer (HP⁻ GC).

Methods

The clinical, gene expression profile data and AS events of 138 HP⁻ GC patients were obtained from the database named the cancer genome atlas. Differently expressed AS (DEAS) events were determined by a comparison of the PSI values between HP⁻ GC samples and adjacent normal samples. Unsupervised clustering analysis, proportional regression and Kaplan–Meier analysis were used to explore the association between clinical data and immune features and to establish two nomograms about the prognosis of HP⁻ GC. Finally, splicing networks were constructed using Cytoscape.

Results

A total of 48141 AS events and 1041 DEAS events were found in HP⁻ GC. Various functions and pathways of DEAS events parent genes were enriched, such as cell-substrate junction, cell leading edge, focal adhension, and AMPK signaling. Seven overall survival (OS)-related and seven disease-free survival (DFS)-related AS events were used to construct the prognostic signatures. Based on the independent prognostic factors, two nomograms were established and showed excellent performance. Then, splicing regulatory networks among the correlations suggested that splicing factors were significantly associated with prognostic DEASs. Finally, the unsupervised clustering analysis revealed that DEAS-based clusters were associated with clinical characteristics, tumor microenvironment, tumor mutation burden, and immune features.

Conclusion

Seven OS-related and seven DFS-related AS events have been found to be correlated with the prognosis of HP⁻ GC and can be used as prognostic factors to establish an effective nomogram.

Lethal-7-related polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to and prognosis of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The lethal-7 (let-7) family members and their targets are involved in the development and progression of tumors. Let-7-related polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with tumorigenesis and prognosis. In gastric cancer, however, the related studies are limited.

AIM

To investigate the role of let-7-related microRNA polymorphisms in the tumorigenesis and prognosis of gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

METHODS

A total of 898 gastric cancer patients and 992 tumor-free controls were recruited into this study from 2008 to 2013. Gastric cancer patients were followed periodically. Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the let-7 gene region or their target mRNAs were genotyped using the MassARRAY system and their associations with the risk for or overall survival of gastric cancer were analyzed.

RESULTS

All the ten SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The C allele of the rs3811463 polymorphism in the 3’-untranslated region (UTR) of LIN28A was associated with a lower risk of gastric cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61-0.88, P = 0.001] after adjustment for age and Helicobacter pylori status. Seven hundred and thirty-five gastric cancer patients who had undergone radical tumorectomy were included in the survival analysis and their 5-year survival rate was 53.9% (95%CI: 50.1%-57.6%). The rs10889677 in the 3’-UTR of IL23R was corresponded to the prognosis of gastric cancer in a dose-response manner, in which the death risk increased by 25% [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.25, 95%CI: 1.04-1.45, P = 0.011] with each increase in the number of C alleles after controlling for other potential clinicopathological parameters.

CONCLUSION

The let-7-related polymorphism rs3811463 in LIN28A is associated with the susceptibility to gastric cancer and the let-7-related polymorphism rs10889677 in IL23R is associated with the prognosis of gastric cancer.

Activation of CD3+ T cells by Helicobacter pylori DNA vaccines in potential immunotherapy of gastric carcinoma

Most of gastric carcinoma (GC) is attributed to infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) but there is increasing evidence that the positive H. pylori status correlates with better prognosis in GC. The H. pylori-induced cellular immune response may suppress cancer and in this work, recombinant pcDNA3 plasmids encoding various fragments of H. pylori virulence genes of cagA, vacA and babA are constructed and combined into groups to immunize BALB/c mice. The activated splenic CD3⁺ T cells are purified and the anticancer effects are investigated in vitro and in vivo. The H. pylori DNA vaccines induce a shift in the response from Th1 to Th2 that mimicks the immune status in patients of GC with chronic H. pylori infection. The stimulated CD3⁺ T cells inhibit the growth of human GC cells in vitro and adoptive transfusions of the CD3⁺ T cells suppress the growth of GC xenograft in vivo. The effects may be caused by the larger ratios of infiltrated CD8⁺/CD4⁺ T cells, reduced infiltration of regulatory FOXP3⁺ T cells, and enhanced apoptosis induced by upregulation of Caspase-9/Caspase-3 and downregulation of Survivin. Our results reveal the potential immunotherapeutic value of H. pylori vaccine-activated CD3⁺ T cells in those with advanced GC.

Penicillin‑binding protein 1A mutation‑positive Helicobacter pylori promotes epithelial‑mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer via the suppression of microRNA‑134

Evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is not only the main cause of gastric cancer (GC), but is also closely associated with its metastasis. One of the major virulence factors in H. pylori is the cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA). With the growing proportion of amoxicillin-resistant H. pylori strains, the present study aimed to explore the effects of CagA- and penicillin-binding protein 1A (PBP1A) mutation-positive H. pylori (H. pylori_CagA+/P+) on GC cells, and its clinical significance. The clinical significance of H. pylori_CagA+/P+ infection was analyzed in patients with GC. In vitro, GC cells were infected with H. pylori_CagA+/P+ to investigate whether it was involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of SGC-7901 cells using immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. The results of clinical analysis demonstrated that, although CagA-negative H. pylori infection had no significant association with the characteristics of patients with GC, H. pylori_CagA+/P+ infection was significantly associated with various clinicopathological parameters, including invasion depth, lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis. In vitro, the results indicated that H. pylori_CagA+/P+ promoted proliferation, invasion and EMT of SGC-7901 cells. MicroRNA (miR)-134 was downregulated in H. pylori_CagA+/P+ infected tissues compared with in those with H. pylori_CagA+/P- infection. miR-134 overexpression significantly reversed H. pylori_CagA+/P+ infection-associated cell proliferation, invasion and EMT. Furthermore, the results revealed that Forkhead box protein M1 (FoxM1) was a direct target of miR-134, and FoxM1 knockdown impeded H. pylori_CagA+/P+-induced EMT. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that miR-134 may suppress the proliferation, invasion and EMT of SGC-7901 cells by targeting FoxM1, and may serve a protective role in the process of H. pylori_CagA+/P+-induced GC. These findings may lead to an improved understanding of H. pylori_CagA+/P+-associated poor clinical characteristics in patients with GC.

Chronological Changes in the Gastric Cancer Subsite in Akita, Japan: The Trends from the Data of a Hospital-Based Registration System

With the decreasing global trend in the Helicobacter pylori infection rate, compositional changes in the gastric cancer subsites have occurred worldwide. However, the compositional changes in Asian countries, including Japan, remain to be clarified. The aim of this study is to investigate the latest chronological changes in the gastric cancer subsite using a hospital-based registration system in Akita prefecture in Japan. From 2007-2015, subsites of gastric cancers were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-03). The nine-year registration period was divided into the three 3-year periods: 2007-2009, 2010-2012, and 2013-2015. A total of 10,804 cases of gastric cancer were registered. The proportion of cardiac cancer among total gastric cancer slightly but significantly declined from 12.1% in 2007-2009 to 9.2% in 2013-2015 (P < 0.01). Among non-cardia cancer, the proportion of corpus cancer significantly increased from 41.3% to 50.2% during the study period (P < 0.01), while that of antropylorus cancer significantly decreased from 37.6% to 34.3% (P < 0.05). Such compositional changes in the gastric cancer subsite were observed largely in men, regardless of the histologic subtype of cancer. With the decreasing H. pylori infection rate, compositional changes in the gastric cancer subsite are occurring in Japan. While the proportion of cardia and antropylorus cancer is declining, that of corpus cancer is increasing, indicating diverse etiology of gastric carcinogenesis depending on the subsites. Identifying the most common sites of occurrence, may help to improve the efficiency of screening for gastric cancer.

Hepcidin correlates with interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 but not iron deficiency in children with Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with iron deficiency (ID) in children. Inflammatory cytokine reactions could influence the consequences of H. pylori infection. Hepcidin is an important regulator in iron homeostasis and could be induced by chronic inflammation. The relationship between hepcidin and cytokine levels in children infected with H. pylori remains controversial.

METHODS

Based on serology testing for anti-H. pylori IgG, participants (43 seropositive and 43 seronegative) aged 10-18 years were enrolled. Serum hepcidin levels and iron profiles, including iron, ferritin, and total iron-binding capacity, were measured. ID is defined as iron saturation less than 15%. Seropositive children were divided into low hepcidin (n = 22) and high hepcidin (n = 21) groups. IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 serum levels were compared.

RESULTS

Serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels were comparable between H. pylori seropositive and seronegative children, as were the median serum hepcidin levels (6.5 ng/mL versus 8.6 ng/mL; P = 0.1318). Median levels of serum iron, ferritin, and iron saturation were significantly lower in seropositive children with low hepcidin than in those with high hepcidin (P = 0.0123, P = 0.0001, and P = 0.0004, respectively). The prevalence of ID was significantly higher in those with low serum hepcidin levels (33.3% versus 4.5%; P = 0.015). Compared to the high hepcidin seropositive group, the low hepcidin group had significantly lower median serum levels of cytokines IL-1β and IL-6, but not IL-8 (P = 0.0151 and P = 0.0015, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6, but not IL-8, might be associated with increased hepcidin levels among H. pylori-seropositive children. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of hepcidin.

Correlation Analysis between Helicobacter pylori Infection Status and Tumor Clinical Pathology as Well as Prognosis of Gastric Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and the development and prognosis of gastric cancer.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis was used to collect 120 paraffin-embedded specimens and 42 paracancerous specimens of gastric cancer patients archived in Department of Pathology, Weihaiwei People's Hospital from 2010-2012. All patients with gastric cancer were followed for 5 years. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the relative H. pylori infection in gastric cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues. The relationship between clinicopathological parameters and H. pylori relative infection was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis.

RESULTS

The relative amount of H. pylori infection in gastric cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in paracancerous normal tissues (P<0.001). The relative H. pylori infection was related to tumor size, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, and depth of invasion (P<0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of gastric cancer patients were negatively correlated with the relative H. pylori infection. The relative H. pylori infection, age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, clinical stage and depth of invasion were positively correlated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

CONCLUSION

The relative H. pylori infection and clinical stage of patients could increase the risk of death in gastric cancer patients. H. pylori is one of the independent risk factors for the progression and prognosis of gastric cancer. It is also an index to evaluate the development process and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Gastric Cancer Screening by Combined Determination of Serum Helicobacter pylori Antibody and Pepsinogen Concentrations: ABC Method for Gastric Cancer Screening

Objective:

Gastroscopy combined with gastric mucosa biopsies is currently regarded as a gold standard for diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, its application is restricted in clinical practice due to its invasive property. A new noninvasive population screening process combining the assay of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody and serum pepsinogen (PG) (ABC method) is adopted to recognize the high-risk patients for further endoscopy examination, avoiding the unnecessary gastroscopy for most population and saving the cost consumption for mass screening annually. Nevertheless, controversies exist for the grouping of ABC method and the intervals of gastroscopy surveillance for each group. In this review, we summarized these popular concerned topics for providing useful references to the healthcare practitioner in clinical practice.

Data Sources:

The PubMed databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to November 22, 2017, using the keywords “Helicobacter pylori,” “Pepsinogens,” and “Stomach Neoplasms.”

Study Selection:

Original articles and reviews on the topics were selected.

Results:

Anti-H. pylori antibody and serum PG concentration showed significant changes under the different status of H. pylori infection and the progression of atrophic gastritis, which can be used for risk stratification of gastric cancer in clinic. In addition, anti-H. pylori antibody titer can be used for further risk stratification of gastric cancer contributing to determine better endoscopy surveillance interval.

Conclusions:

The early detection and diagnosis of gastric cancer benefit from the risk stratification, but the cutoff values for H. pylori antibody and serum PG concentration require further modification.

Potential Association of IL1B Polymorphism With Iron Deficiency Risk in Childhood Helicobacter pylori Infection

OBJECTIVE

Helicobacter pylori infection occurs predominantly in childhood. Host immune response gene polymorphism is reported to affect the susceptibility to H pylori infection and the outcome of H pylori-related gastric cancer. Not all H pylori-infected patients, however, exhibit iron deficiency (ID). The relationship between host genetic polymorphisms and ID mediated by H pylori infection is not well understood.

METHODS

Subjects (n = 644) from the general population of age 10 to 18 years were divided into 2 groups based on serology testing for anti-H pylori IgG: seropositive study group; and seronegative control group. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL1B (rs1143627 and rs16944), IL8 (rs4073), IL10 (rs1800896), and ABO (rs505922), were genotyped and the iron status of the 2 groups was compared.

RESULTS

The seroprevalence rate for H pylori was 10.7% in this study. Infected subjects were significantly older and had lower serum iron levels than uninfected subjects (P = 0.0195 and 0.0059, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed a significantly higher frequency of the T allele of rs505922 (odds ratio [OR] = 6.128; P < 0.001) and lower frequency of the T allele of rs1143627 (OR = 0.846; P = 0.014) in seropositive subjects. Among 59 seropositive subjects, the T allele frequency of rs1143627 was significantly higher in those with ID (OR = 3.156; P = 0.043), compared with those without ID.

CONCLUSIONS

ABO (rs505922) and IL1B (rs1143627) may affect H pylori infection susceptibility, and IL1B (rs1143627) may also influence ID risk in infected children.

Positive Helicobacter pylori status is associated with better overall survival for gastric cancer patients: evidence from case-cohort studies

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection increases the gastric cancer risk; however, the influences of H. pylori infection status on the outcomes for gastric cancer patients have not yet clearly defined. Herein, we systematically assessed the epidemiological studies regarding the associations between the H.pylori infection status at diagnosis and the prognosis for gastric cancer patients with the meta-analysis methods. Thirty-three eligibility studies with 8,199 participants that had determined the H.pylori infection status and the outcomes for gastric cancer patients were identified through searching the PubMed and MEDLINE databases updated to March 1^st, 2017. The random-effects model suggested that positive H. pylori infection was associated with better overall survival with the pooled hazard ratio (HR) was 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66-0.93; Q = 134.86, df = 32, P-heterogeneity < 0.001; I² = 76.3%] compared to negative patients. The association was found to be more prominent in studies with higher quality, longer following-up time and more sensitive detection methods. An inverse but not statistically significant association between the H.pylori status and the disease-free survival of the patients (pooled HR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.61-1.05;Q = 30.48, df = 11, P-heterogeneity = 0.001; I² = 63.9%) was found, while no significant association was noticed in any subgroup analyses. These results suggested that gastric cancer patients with positive H.pylori infection status at diagnosis have better overall survival compared to negative; however, more studies are warranted to confirm the results and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.