Original Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2001. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2001; 7(5): 657-661
Published online Oct 15, 2001. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v7.i5.657
Relationship between ABO blood groups and carcinoma of esophagus and cardia in Chaoshan inhabitants of China
Min Su, Shan-Ming Lu, Dong-Ping Tian, Hu Zhao, Xiao-YunLi, De-Rui Li, Zhi-Chao Zheng
Min Su, Shan-Ming Lu, Dong-Ping Tian, Hu Zhao, Department of Pathology, Shantou 515031, China.
Xiao-YunLi, Tumor Hospital, Shantou 515031, China.
De-Rui Li, Zhi-Chao Zheng, Second Teaching Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Key Teacher Fund, Ministry of Education of China and Sir Li Ka-Ching Foundation.
Correspondence to: Prof. Min Su, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. minsu@ncrc.stu.edu.cn or minsusm@21cn.com
Telephone: +86-754-8900429, Fax: +86-754-8525667
Received: May 31, 2001
Revised: July 6, 2001
Accepted: July 18, 2001
Published online: October 15, 2001
Abstract

AIM: To study the relationship between ABO blood groups and carcinoma of esophagus and cardia in Chaoshan inhabitants of China, which is a unique Littoral high-risk area of esophageal carcinoma in China. The poor communication and transportation in the past has made Chaoshan a relatively closed area and kept its culture and custure of old China thousand years ago.

METHODS: Data on age, sex, ABO blood type and X-ray or pathological diagnose of the patients with carcinoma of esophagus or cardia were collected from the Tumor Hospital. First Affiliated Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College; and the Central Hospital of Shantou and the Central Hospital of Jieyang. A total of 6685 patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC) and 2955 patients with cardiac cancer (CC) in Chaoshan district were retrospectively assessed for their association with ABO blood groups.

RESULTS: The distribution of ABO blood groups in patients with EC or CC was similar to the normal local population in Chaoshan. However, blood group B in male patients with CC and in the patients with carcinoma in the upper third esophagus was 2.3% and 4.7% higher than the corresponding controls. The relative risk B∶O was 1.1415 (P < 0.05) and 1.2696 (P < 0.05), respectively. No relationship was found between ABO blood groups and tumor differentiation.

CONCLUSION: ABO blood group B is associated with the incidence of CC in male individuals and carcinoma in the upper third esophagus. The distribution of ABO blood groups varies in the different geographical and ethnic groups. As a result, proper controls are very important for such studies.

Keywords: esophageal neoplasms; stomach neoplasms; ABO blood-group system; Guangdong; human