prevalence of helicobacter pylori in gastric cancers

Recent epidemiological evidence indicates that H. pylori infection increases the risk for gastric carcinoma. This study, comprises 40 patients with histologically proven gastric malignancy. Adenocarcinoma, especially of the intestinal type, was the most common [87.5%]; followed by lymphoma [10%]; and leiomyosarcoma [2.5%]. The gastric antrum was the most commonly affected site, chronic gastritis was present in the antrum in 80% of cases; whereas gastric atrophy was detected in only 10% of cases. Intestinal metaplasia with dysplastic changes was detected in 60% of biopsies taken from cancer edge. Helicobacter pylori demonstrated by the CLO [Urease] test in 75% of our studied cases; while direct demonstration of the organism by Hematoxylene and eosin stain was observed in 55% of cases. These findings prove the previous studies that demonstrated an association between H. pylori and gastric cancer. This would indicate that the eradication of the organism might prevent the gastric cancer in infected patients

Gastro-vascular and micro-vascular changes in chronic murine schistosomiasis mansoni: response to propranolol

Histopathologic study of the gastric wall of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni was carried out at 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks postinfection [p.i.]. The gastric vascular structures were more sensitive to injury with the progression of liver disease than the glandular cells, with marked submucosal edema and thickening of submucosal and subserosal vessels. By transmission electron microscopy, the mucosal microvessels had thickened basement membrane and conspicuous endothelial cells with granular cytoplasm thrown into numerous intraluminal microprojections and with increased number and size of pinocytotic vesicles. When propranolol was administered orally as 20 mg/kg daily doses for two weeks at 6, 10, 14 and 18 weeks p.i., a striking regression of gastro-vascular and micro-vascular changes has been observed, particularly with early drug therapy. Based on the present study, it can be concluded that "structural autoregulation" of gastric vasculature to the emerging portal hypertension in chronic murine Schistosomiasis mansoni, is a dynamic process that could be reversed by propranolol therapy. This response could, possibly, improve gastric mucosal perfusion and functional abnormalities which may predispose the gastric mucosa to severe damage or hemorrhage