Does treatment of Helicobacter Pylori Infection Reduce Gastric Precancerous Lesions?

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) decreases the prevalence of gastric cancer, andmay inhibit gastric precancerous lesions progression into gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to determinethe effect of treatment on subsequent gastric precancerous lesion development. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: Weprospectively studied 27 patients who had low grade dysplasia at the time of enrollment, in addition to dysplasiaatrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia observed in all patients. All were prescribed quadruple therapy totreat H. Pylori infection for 10 days. Patients underwent endoscopy with biopsy at enrollment and then at followup two years later. Biopsy samples included five biopsies from the antrum of lesser curvature, antrum of greatercurvature, angularis, body of stomach and fundus. Results of these biopsies were compared before and aftertreatment. <br/><b>Results</b>: Overall, the successful eradication rate after two years was 15/27 (55.6%). After antibiotictherapy, the number of patients with low grade dysplasia decreased significantly (p=0.03), also with reductionof the atrophic lesions (p=0.01), but not metaplasia. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: Treatment of H. pylori likely is an effectivetherapy in preventing the development of subsequent gastric premalignant lesions.