Background/aims: Immune response against Helicobacter pylori is important for the course and outcome of infection. We conducted study looking for the difference in anti H. pylori IgG and IgA between patients with intestinal type of gastric cancer, superficial and atrophic gastritis.
Methodology: For this study, 133 patients infected with H. pylori were enrolled: 50 with superficial gastritis, 42 with atrophic gastritis and 41 with gastric cancer. Anti H. pylori IgG and IgA ELISA tests were performed. The difference in antibody titers of IgG and IgA, frequency of IgA > IgG ratio and combination of low IgG and IgA > IgG ratio were analyzed.
Results: The patients with gastritis had higher titer of IgG that the patients with gastric cancer (p < 0.01). The patients with superficial gastritis had higher titer of IgA than the patients with gastric cancer (p < 0.05). IgA > IgG ratio is more frequent in patients with gastric cancer than in the patients with superficial gastritis (p < 0.01). Low IgG and IgA > IgG is more frequent in the patients with gastric cancer than in the patients with gastritis (p < 0.01).
Conclusions: The patients with gastric cancer elicit different anti H. pylori IgG and IgA response than the patients with superficial and atrophic gastritis. Low IgG and IgA predominance seems characteristic for gastric cancer.