A comprehensive survey of etiologic factors of stomach cancer in China
Zhang, R.F.; Sun, H.L.; Jin, M.L.; Li, S.N.
Chinese Medical Journal 97(5): 322-332
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0366-6999 PMID: 6439482 Document Number: 223247
An investigation on 40,824 cases of chronic stomach diseases carried out in 6 relatively high-risk and 4 low-risk areas of stomach cancer showed that adjusted prevalence rate of atrophic gastritis in the high-risk areas was evidently higher than that in the low risk-areas, and was significantly correlated with the mortality of stomach cancer. The free acid contents in fasting gastric juices in patients in the high-risk areas were decreased significantly, but the pH, the positive rate of nitrate-reducing bacteria and nitrite content were predominantly elevated. The correlation between the nitrite concentrations in gastric juices and adjusted mortality rates of stomach cancer was highly significant. Aspergillus versicolor was more frequently found in the gastric juices in these patients in the high-risk areas than in the low-risk areas and its presence was positively correlated with the severity of pathologic changes in the gastric mucosa. Intragastric formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds and mycotoxins and/or its metabolites produced in the hypochlorhydric and achlorhydric stomach may play major roles in the etiology of stomach cancer in China.