Studies in gastric carcinogenesis. II. Absence of elevated concentrations of N-nitroso compounds in the gastric juice of Greek hypochlorhydric individuals

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Abstract
The concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, N-nitrate compounds and bacteria were measured in 96 samples of fasting gastric juice, pH 0.90–8.50, obtained from 56 individuals just before or at various times (8 days –1 year) after gastric operation. The mean pH of the post-operative samples [4.66 ± 0.39 (SEM)] was significantly higher than that of the pre-operative ones [3.29 ± 0.33 (SEM]. A positive correlation with pH was observed for the concentrations of total and nitrate-reducing bacteria (median values 5.0 × 105 organisms/ml and 9.2 × 104 organisms/ml, respectively, for samples with pH≥6.5, and 1.2 × 103 organisms/ml and 0 organisms/ml, respectively, for samples with pH ≤2.5) and nitrite [mean values 22.5 ± 3.1 (SEM) μM and 3.20 ± 0.5 (SEM) uM for samples with pH ≥6.5 and pH ≤2.5, respectively]. No correlation with pH was seen for the concentrations of nitrate [mean value 0.48 ± 0.06 (SEM) mM] or N-nitroso compounds [mean value 0.30 ± 0.06 (SEM) μM]. The concentrations of bacteria and nitrite, although increased in hypochlorhydric individuals, were lower than those reported for corresponding individuals in other, primarily British, studies. It is suggested that the relatively low concentrations of nitrite observed in our hypochlorohydric population may account for the absence of elevated concentrations of N-nitroso compounds and that the latter phenomenon may be related to the relatively low frequency of gastric cancer in Greece.