Linking Helicobacter pylori with gallbladder and biliary tract cancer in Moroccan population using clinical and pathological profiles

The footprint of gut microbiota in gallbladder cancer: a mechanistic review

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common malignant tumor of the biliary system with the worst prognosis. Even after radical surgery, the majority of patients with GBC have difficulty achieving a clinical cure. The risk of tumor recurrence remains more than 65%, and the overall 5-year survival rate is less than 5%. The gut microbiota refers to a variety of microorganisms living in the human intestine, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, which profoundly affect the host state of general health, disease and even cancer. Over the past few decades, substantial evidence has supported that gut microbiota plays a critical role in promoting the progression of GBC. In this review, we summarize the functions, molecular mechanisms and recent advances of the intestinal microbiota in GBC. We focus on the driving role of bacteria in pivotal pathways, such as virulence factors, metabolites derived from intestinal bacteria, chronic inflammatory responses and ecological niche remodeling. Additionally, we emphasize the high level of correlation between viruses and fungi, especially EBV and Candida spp., with GBC. In general, this review not only provides a solid theoretical basis for the close relationship between gut microbiota and GBC but also highlights more potential research directions for further research in the future.

The link between Helicobacter pylori infection and gallbladder and biliary tract diseases: A review

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative pathogen commonly associated with peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. H. pylori infection has also been reported in cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, gallbladder polyps, and biliary tract cancers. However, the association between H. pylori and gallbladder and biliary tract pathologies remains unclear due to the paucity of literature. In response to the current literature gap, we aim to review and provide an updated summary of the association between H. pylori with gallbladder and biliary tract diseases and its impact on their clinical management. Relevant peer-reviewed studies were retrieved from Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. We found that H. pylori infection was associated with cholelithiasis, chronic cholecystitis, biliary tract cancer, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and primary biliary cholangitis but not with gallbladder polyps. While causal links have been reported, prospective longitudinal studies are required to conclude the association between H. pylori and gallbladder pathologies. Clinicians should be aware of the implications that H. pylori infection has on the management of these diseases.

Are Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colorectal Carcinoma Associated with Helicobacter pylori? A Prospective Study and Meta-analysis

Observational studies regarding the correlation between colorectal carcinoma, inflammatory bowel disease and Helicobacter pylori infection are inconsistent. The present study aims to investigate the association between colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with H. pylori status in 100 patients who have inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal carcinoma was confirmed disease by histological approach. Besides, a meta-analysis was performed of published studies, to evaluate the link between H. pylori infection and an increased risk of CRC and IBD. Among 67 cases with CRA and 33 cases with IBD, 59.7% and 51.5% were H. pylori positive; respectively. In the meta-analysis, thirty-nine articles were included, involving 13 231 cases with CRC and 2477 with IBD. The pooled odds ratio for CRC and IBD was 1.16 (95%CI = 0.73-1.82) and 0.42 (95%CI = 0.32-0.56); respectively. Our meta-analysis indicates that H. pylori is not associated with CRC.

Helicobacters and cancer, not only gastric cancer?

The Helicobacter genus actually comprises 46 validly published species divided into two main clades: gastric and enterohepatic Helicobacters. These bacteria colonize alternative sites of the digestive system in animals and humans, and contribute to inflammation and cancers. In humans, Helicobacter infection is mainly related to H. pylori, a gastric pathogen infecting more than half of the world's population, leading to chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa that can evolve into two types of gastric cancers: gastric adenocarcinomas and gastric MALT lymphoma. In addition, H. pylori but also non-H. pylori Helicobacter infection has been associated with many extra-gastric malignancies. This review focuses on H. pylori and its role in gastric cancers and extra-gastric diseases, as well as malignancies induced by non-H. pylori Helicobacters. Their different virulence factors and their involvement in carcinogenesis is discussed. This review highlights the importance of both gastric and enterohepatic Helicobacters in gastrointestinal and liver cancers.

Review: Extragastric diseases and Helicobacter pylori

The involvement of Helicobacter pylori infection in many extra-gastroduodenal manifestations remains a fascinating field of investigation. However, for several of these supposed associations, the potential pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. The present review highlights the main associations of H pylori with extra-gastroduodenal manifestations reported during the last year. We searched for the most relevant studies on this topic, published between April 2019 and March 2020, identified using the term "Helicobacter" in the MEDLINE/Pubmed database. Consistent data emerged from studies investigating metabolic syndrome and ischaemic cardiovascular diseases. Other reported fields of investigation were hepatology, especially focused on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, neurology, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, as well as dermatology. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), that comprises Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, may originate from a dysregulation of the host's immune response to commensal bacteria in individuals with genetic predisposition. The reduction of biodiversity and other specific imbalances in the faecal microbiome composition of IBD patients compared to that of healthy controls support this hypothesis. In this context, an inverse correlation between H pylori infection and IBD prevalence has been confirmed. Similar results were found in patients with kidney diseases and allergic manifestations. There are indications of the possible involvement of H pylori infection in metabolic syndrome and ischaemic cardiovascular diseases. However, due to a series of factors linked to study designs and the multifactorial pathogenesis of some diseases, further studies are needed.