Background: Chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common gastric adenocarcinoma (GCA) risk factor. GCA more commonly affects U.S. Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). No study has examined this infection in South Texas Hispanics, a population facing multiple health disparities. This pilot project aimed to determine H. pylori exposure rates in Hispanic and NHW men residing in Bexar County, and examine relationships with ethnicity, residence, socioeconomic status, smoking history and cancer family history.

Methods: Age- and zip-code-matched subjects from a large community-dwelling cohort were randomly selected. Sera from 286 (143 Hispanic, 143 NHW) men were analyzed by enzyme immunoassay for H. pylori antibodies.

Results: Almost 20% of samples were H. pylori-positive; exposure was significantly higher among Hispanics (30.1%) compared to NHWs (9.1%). Unconditional logistic regression analyses of the seropositive-matched subsample showed strong associations between H. pylori seropositivity and Hispanic ethnicity (odds ratio [O.R.]=17.5; p<0.001) and BMI category (O.R.=6.5; p=0.01 overweight and 4.0; p=0.02 obese). Ethnicity remained the strongest predictor of seropositivity after adjusting for all other factors (adjusted O.R.=16.9; p<0.001). Adjusted O.R.s for overweight/obesity were high but non-significant.

Conclusions: H. pylori exposure rates are higher in South Texas Hispanic men and parallel the disproportionately-higher rates of GCA. Obesity is a contributing factor. This is the first study to explore the relationship between H. pylori exposure and Hispanic ethnicity and other GCA risk factors in South Texas. Results have implications for future studies on preventive measures targeted at reducing infectious burden and GCA risk in this vulnerable population.

Citation Format: Dorothy Long Parma, Edgar Munoz, Susan M. Ogden, Robin J. Leach, Ian M. Thompson, Jr., Amelie G. Ramirez. Helicobacter pylori exposure among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white men in San Antonio, Texas: Implications for gastric cancer risk disparities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B36.

©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.
2015