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Test and treat or test and scope for Helicobacter pylori infection. Any change in gastric cancer prevention?
Author(s) -
Mc Loughlin R. M.,
Sebastian S. S.,
O'Connor H. J.,
Buckley M.,
O'Morain C. A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2036.17.s2.13.x
Subject(s) - medicine , helicobacter pylori , cancer , gastroenterology , spirillaceae , helicobacter pylori infection , population , test (biology) , gastritis , environmental health , paleontology , biology
Summary A ‘test and treat’ strategy is advocated for patients with dyspepsia under the age of 45 years, with endoscopy reserved for those with alarm symptoms or aged over 45 years. One of the consequences of this strategy will be a reduction in population infection rates of Helicobacter pylori . It is now clear that H. pylori is one of the prime initiators of gastric cancer with up to 70% of gastric cancers attributable to H. pylori . What remains unclear is if H. pylori reduction will lead to a reduction in gastric cancer.