Aims: The pepsinogen (PG) test result is used in Japan for screening for gastric cancer. In this study, we investigated the changes in evaluation of the PG test result following H. pylori eradication.
Methods: The subjects were 120 consecutive H. pylori-positive patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Subjects underwent endoscopy prior to, and at 2 months after the eradication therapy, at which time blood was taken for determination of changes in PG levels.
Results: The overall eradication rate was 79.3% (per protocol). Following eradication therapy, the evaluation of PG test result converted from positive to negative in 80.4% (37/46) of cases of successful eradication, and in 0% (0/6) of cases of eradication failure.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the evaluation of PG test result should be used after the definitive confirmation of the success or failure of H. pylori eradication therapy.