Sunday Oct 13, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A report scheduledto be published in 2014 in Cancer Treatment and Research again reminds food consumers that consumption of too much salt can increase the risk of gastric cancer or stomach cancer.

L D'Elia  from Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, "Federico II" University of Naples in Naples, Italy and colleagues review previous studies and explain why high salt is the cause for the increased risk of stomach cancer.

The researchers cite some experimental studies as suggesting that salt per se renders a cocarcinogenic effect through a synergic action with the infection of a pathogenic bacterium in the stomach called Helicobacter pylori.

Additionally, high concentrations of salt increase the rates of cell proliferation and endogenous mutations. What happens is that when salt is high, Helicobacter pylori produces more carcinogens leading to an increased chance of developing stomach cancer.

The association between salt intake and risk of stomach cancer is dose-dependent; meaning that high intake of salt and salt rich foods is linked to high risk of gastric cancer.

In summary, the authors say "Altogether, the epidemiological, clinical, and experimental evidence supports the possibility of a substantial reduction in the rates of gastric cancer through progressive reduction in population salt intake."

Helicobacter pylori infects about 50% of the world population and more people in developing countries.  Up to 85% of infected people do not feel any symptoms which can include abdominal pain or nausea in the case of an acute gastritis and stomach pain, nausea, bloating, belching, and sometimes vomiting or black stool in the case of a chronic infection.  About 10 to 20% of infected people end up developing peptic ulcers and 1 to 2 % develop stomach cancer in their lifetime.

Helicobacter pylori can be eradicated by taking an antibiotic. But this pathogenic bacterium is not the only risk factor for stomach cancer. (DL)