Association between helicobacter pylori infection and carcinoma of the larynx or pharynx

BACKGROUND: Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) plays a role in the development of gastric carcinoma. However, there is controversy as to whether H. pylori infection increases laryngeal or pharyngeal cancers. METHODS: We managed a systematic review of researches related to H. pylori infection in laryngeal or pharyngeal carcinomas, distributed up to December 2014. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were assessed by random effects models or according to heterogeneity I(2) . RESULTS: Eleven studies were involved in the meta-analysis. Overall, H. pylori infection was significantly higher in the study group compared with the normal control group (OR = 2.87; 95% CI = 1.71-4.84; I(2) = 67.1; p < .0001, random effects analysis). The ORs for laryngeal carcinoma were 3.28 (95% CI = 1.91-5.63; I(2) = 58; p < .0001, random effects model). The ORs for pharyngeal cancer were 1.35 (95% CI = 0.86-2.12; p = .188, random effects model). CONCLUSION: This study supported the proposition that infection with H. pylori was related to laryngeal carcinoma, specifically in the hospital-based control group and diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nevertheless, no significant relationship was discovered between H. pylori infection and pharyngeal cancer.