An inverse association of Helicobacter pylori infection with oral squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of oral pathology & medicine Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 17 - 22
• Main Authors: Meng, Xue, Wang, Qiuxu, He, Caiyun, Chen, Moye, Liu, Jingwei, Liu, Weixian, Yuan, Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - immunology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - microbiology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Case-Control Studies; Dentistry; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - immunology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - microbiology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Helicobacter Infections - immunology; Helicobacter Infections - pathology; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - immunology; Mouth Neoplasms - microbiology; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; oral cancer; oral squamous cell carcinoma; PCR; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Risk Factors; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - blood; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; oral squamous cell carcinoma; Helicobacter pylori; PCR; oral cancer; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
• ISSN: 0904-2512; 1600-0714
• DOI: 10.1111/jop.12324

Background Few studies have focused on the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and oral diseases. In this study, we explored the correlation between H. pylori infection and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods A total of 68 patients with OSCC and 104 age‐ and sex‐ matched healthy control subjects were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The H. pylori immunoglobin (Ig) G antibodies in serum were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method to assess the status of H. pylori infection of our study sample. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also employed using H. pylori genus‐specific 16S rRNA primers in fasting blood, and OSCC specimens were analyzed by histochemical stain of each enrolled subject. The strength of correlation between H. pylori and the development of OSCC was estimated by Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results According to the three methods for detecting prevalence of H. pylori infection in the patients with OSCC, it was statistically lower than that in the healthy controls (35.3% vs. 54.8%, P = 0.012). An inverse correlation was observed between H. pylori infection and OSCC development (Spearman's correlation coefficient = −0.191, P = 0.012). In stratification analysis, we also found a statistical association between H. pylori infection and OSCC in the subpopulation with age ≥60 years (P = 0.037). Conclusion Our findings suggested that H. pylori infection may be negatively related to OSCC. A reverse association of H. pylori infection with OSCC risk in the subpopulation with age ≥60 years was also found.