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Dietary Salt Intake and Risk of Gastric Cancer

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Advances in Nutrition and Cancer

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 159))

Abstract

Humans began to use large amounts of salt for the main purpose of food preservation approximately 5,000 years ago and, although since then advanced technologies have been developed allowing drastic reduction in the use of salt for food storage, excess dietary salt intake remains very common. Gastric cancer is a common neoplasia, and dietary factors, including salt consumption, are considered relevant to its causation. A number of experimental studies supported the cocarcinogenic effect of salt through synergic action with Helicobacter pylori infection, in addition to some independent effects such as increase in the rate of cell proliferation and of endogenous mutations. Many epidemiological studies analyzed the relationship between excess salt intake and risk of gastric cancer. Both cross-sectional and prospective studies indicated a possibly dose-dependent positive association. In particular, a comprehensive meta-analysis of longitudinal studies detected a strong adverse effect of total salt intake and salt-rich foods on the risk of gastric cancer in the general population. 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.

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Abbreviations

HP:

Helicobacter pylori

COX-2:

Cyclooxygenase-2

iNOS:

Inducible nitric oxide synthases

CagA:

Cytotoxin-associated gene A

MNNG:

Methylnitronitrosoguanidine

MNU:

N-nitroso-N-methylurea

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, “Federico II” University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Lanfranco D’Elia, Ferruccio Galletti & Pasquale Strazzullo

  2. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine ESH—Excellence Center of Hypertension, “Federico II” University Medical School, via S. Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy

    Pasquale Strazzullo

Authors
  1. Lanfranco D’Elia
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  2. Ferruccio Galletti
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  3. Pasquale Strazzullo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pasquale Strazzullo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Vincenzo Zappia

  2. Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy

    Salvatore Panico

  3. Institute of Food Sciences National Research Council, Avellino, Italy

    Gian Luigi Russo

  4. Dept. of Experimental Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Naples, Italy

    Alfredo Budillon

  5. Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Fulvio Della Ragione

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D’Elia, L., Galletti, F., Strazzullo, P. (2014). Dietary Salt Intake and Risk of Gastric Cancer. In: Zappia, V., Panico, S., Russo, G., Budillon, A., Della Ragione, F. (eds) Advances in Nutrition and Cancer. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 159. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38007-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38007-5_6

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