Association betweenHelicobacter pyloriinfection and tumor markers: an observational retrospective study

Abstract

ObjectiveHelicobacter pyloriinfection is a major cause of several cancers such as gastric, pancreatic and lung. The relationship betweenH. pyloriand tumour markers continues to remain unclear. The primary goal of this study is to clarify the associations betweenH. pyloriinfection and six tumour markers (ie, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen (CA) 153, CA199, CA724, CA125 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)). The secondary goal is to provide understanding for further research aboutH. pyloriinfection and gastrointestinal cancer.DesignObservational retrospective study.SettingThe study was performed in Beijing, China, where enrolled subjects had all passed health examinations during the period of 2012–2016. Subjects were categorised intoH. pylori(+) andH. pylori(–) group according to their infection status and the measured six biomarkers. We used logistic regression models and generalised linear models to explore the associations betweenH. pyloriinfection and six tumour markers (ie, CEA, CA153, CA199, CA724, CA125 and AFP).ParticipantsA total of 14 689 subjects were included and 6493 (44.2%) subjects were infected byH. pylori. The subjects had a mean age (1SD) of 45 (18) years. There were 4530 (31.0%) female subjects.ResultsAfter adjusting for the confounding factors, infections withH. pyloriwere found to be significantly associated with abnormal ratios in CEA, AFP and CA724 ofH. pylori(+) toH. pylori(–) groups. Significant positive correlation was found betweenH. pyloriinfection and CEA values (adjusted β=0.056; 95% CI 0.005 to 0.107; p=0.033).ConclusionsIn this observational retrospective study, we observed theH. pyloriinfections in a Chinese population and found higher CEA level inH. pylori-infected subjects and abnormal ratios in CEA, AFP and CA724 in infected subjects to uninfected subjects. These findings may provide a basis for future exploration withH. pyloriand tumour markers.