Inability to Noninvasively Diagnose Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia in Hispanics or Reverse the Lesion with Helicobacter pylori Eradication

Abstract

H. pylori infection and gastric IM are frequent findings in Southwestern Hispanics, a high-risk population for gastric cancer. Noninvasive testing is not clinically useful in distinguishing individuals within this group who harbor gastric IM. Although eradication of H. pylori infection may lead to a decrease in the amount of gastric IM in some individuals, the lesion may be detected in the majority of individuals after more than 3 years of follow-up. These data suggest that therapy for H. pylori may not eliminate the risk of gastric cancer once IM has developed.