Gastric cancer patients with Helicobacter pylori infection have a poor prognosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Gastric cancer patients with Helicobacter pylori infection had been reported to have a better prognosis. However, this finding is still controversial. Our research aims to investigate the influence of H. pylori infection on the prognosis of gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery. METHODS The H. pylori infection status of 162 consecutive gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery was assessed in their tumor samples by immunohistochemical staining. Univariate and multivariable analysis were employed to investigate the potential impact of H. pylori infection status on the gastric cancer-specific survival and relapse-free survival of the patients. RESULTS The median follow-up period was 35.3 months (range, 1.7-71.9). Gastric cancer-specific survival was 30.2 months (95% CI 24.8-35.6) and relapse-free survival was 28.7 months (23.5-34) in H. pylori positive patients, compared with 39.8 months (34.8-44.7) and 38.1 months (33-43.2), respectively in H. pylori negative patients (P = 0.01 and P = 0.011, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed positive H. pylori infection is an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio 1.71 [95% CI 1.11-2.66]) and relapse-free survival (hazard ratio 1.68 [95% CI 1.05-2.69]). CONCLUSION Gastric cancer patients with H. pylori infection have poor gastric cancer-specific survival and relapse-free survival. Our finding suggested that the H. pylori infection could be an indicator for prognosis of gastric cancer patients.