The relationship between helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer

The term cancer is a general term that covers over 200 types of diseases that occur in different tissues. The characteristics related to the incidence, spread and survival rates of each of the diseases expressed by the term cancer are specific to the disease. However, uncontrolled cell division from a single first region appears to be a common feature for all types of cancer. Convincing evidence links some species to carcinogenesis while others appear promising in the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of cancers. Thus bacterial species and their roles in particular cancers appear to differ among different individuals. Many species, however, share an important characteristic: highly site-specific colonization. This critical factor may lead to the development of non-invasive diagnostic tests, innovative treatments and cancer vaccines, The classic examples are gastric adenocarcinoma induced by Helicobacter pylori, the association of streptococcal bacteremia of the bovis group and colon cancer and lymphomas of lymphoid tissue associated with mucous membranes (MALT) in connection with Helicobacter species (gastric MALT) and with Chlamydophila spp. (MALT eyepieces). The isolation of any of these pathogens should be a wake-up call to induce the study of a malignant disease.