Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are leading
causes of cancer deaths; effectively managing their precursors
could reduce the burden from these diseases, but biomarkers are
currently not used in their management. The primary objective of
this dissertation was to evaluate potential roles for plausible GC-
and CRC-related biomarkers for 1) identifying precursor lesions, 2)
risk stratification, and 3) surrogate endpoints in chemoprevention
trials.
 In the first study,I used cross-sectional data from a
population-based, serologic/endoscopic screening program for
gastric diseases, particularly GC, and found that serum PGII
combined with anti-
H. pylori IgG may be useful for
identifying persons with gastric histopathology. In the second
study, from the same screening program, I used prospective
serological and histological data from repeated blood sample
collections and gastric mucosal biopsies from repeated
esophagogastroduodenoscopies and found that temporal changes in
serum PGI, PGII, PGI/II ratio, and anti-
H. pylori IgG levels
(especially PGII and anti-
H. pylori IgG combined) are
associated with risk for progression of gastric precancerous
lesions. 
 In the third study, I used data from a pilot colonoscopy-based
case-control study of colorectal adenoma and found that the mean
ratio of rectal TGFα to TGFβ1 expression and
mean rectal TGFα expression in biopsies of normal-appearing
colorectal mucosa were higher in adenoma cases than in controls. In
the fourth study, I used data from a pilot, randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial clinical trial of
calcium 2,000 mg and/or vitamin D3 800 IU daily over 6
months in sporadic colorectal adenoma patients and found that those
in the calcium and vitamin D groups relative to those in the
placebo group had non-statistically significant decreases in the
mean ratio of rectal TGFα to TGFβ1 expression
in their normal-appearing rectal mucosa. 
 Taken together, these results suggest that 1) the combination
of serum PGII and anti-
H. pylori IgG could be used to
identify, monitor, and manage individuals at increased risk for GC;
and 2) the combination of TGFα and TGFβ1
expression in the normal-appearing colorectal mucosa may be a valid
indicator of risk for colorectal neoplasms that may be favorably
modifiable by supplemental calcium and/or vitamin
D3. 
    Table of Contents
 
 Table of Contents 
 Chapter 1. Introduction and
Background....................................................................................................................................
1 
 Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................
1 
 Background................................................................................................................................................................................
3 
 Morphology of Human
Stomach......................................................................................................................................................
3 
 Histopathology of Gastric
Cancer...................................................................................................................................................
4 
 Descriptive Epidemiology of Gastric
Cancer......................................................................................................................................
5 
 Molecular Basis of Gastric
Carcinogenesis.
....................................................................................................................................
10 
 Risk Factors for Gastric
Cancer......................................................................................................................................................
15 
 Screen and Early Detection for
Gastric Cancer and
Precursors.............................................................................................................
42 
 Current Recommendations for
Management of Gastric Cancer
Precursors.............................................................................................
58 
 A Proposed Screening and Management
Strategy for Gastric Cancer and
Precursors................................................................................
58 
 Morphology of Human Colon and
Rectum..........................................................................................................................................
60 
 Descriptive Epidemiology of
Colorectal
Cancer...................................................................................................................................
60 
 Risk Factors for Colorectal
Cancer....................................................................................................................................................
62 
 Calcium and Vitamin
D...................................................................................................................................................................
66 
 Molecular Basis of Colorectal
Cancer................................................................................................................................................
68 
 TGFα and
TGFβ1.............................................................................................................................................................................70 
 The Colorectal Adenoma - Carcinoma
Sequence..................................................................................................................................
71 
 Current Recommendations for
Management of Colorectal
Adenoma.......................................................................................................
72 
 Gaps in the Literature Addressed by
This
Dissertation.........................................................................................................................
72 
 Chapter 2. Objectives,
Specific Aims, and
Hypotheses.....................................................................................................................
74 
 Overall
Goal......................................................................................................................
............................................................
74 
 Specific
Aims.......................................................................................................................
..........................................................
74 
 Hypotheses.......................................................................................................................
............................................................
75 
 Chapter 3. Serological Biomarkers
for Identification of Precancerous Gastric Lesions
.........................................................................
77 
 Abstract.......................................................................................................................
.................................................................
79 
 Introduction........................................................................................................................
...........................................................
80 
 Material and
Methods.....................................................................................................
.................................................................
81 
 Results........................................................................................................................
.................................................................
83 
 Discussion........................................................................................................................
.............................................................
86 
 Chapter 4. Temporal Changes in
Serum Biomarkers and Risk for Progression of Gastric Precancerous
Lesions: a Longitudinal Study...... 100 
 Abstract.......................................................................................................................
.................................................................
102 
 Introduction.................................................................................................................
..................................................................
103 
 Materials and
Methods........................................................................................................................
.............................................
104 
 Results........................................................................................................................
..................................................................
107 
 Discussion........................................................................................................................
..............................................................
112 
 Chapter 5. Transforming growth
factors and receptor as potential modifiable pre-neoplastic
biomarkers of risk for colorectal neoplasms.
142 
 Abstract.......................................................................................................................
...................................................................
144 
 Introduction........................................................................................................................
.............................................................
145 
 Materials and
Methods........................................................................................................................
...............................................
146 
 Results........................................................................................................................
...................................................................
151 
 Discussion.......................................................................................................................
................................................................
154 
 Chapter 6. Effects of calcium and
vitamin D3 on transforming growth
factors in rectal mucosa of sporadic colorectal
adenoma patients: 
 a randomized controlled
trial
.......................................................................................................................
.....................................168 
 Abstract.......................................................................................................................
....................................................................
170 
 Introduction.......................................................................................................................
...............................................................
171 
 Materials and
Methods.......................................................................................................................
.................................................
172 
 Results.......................................................................................................................
......................................................................
177 
 Discussion.......................................................................................................................
..................................................................
181 
 Chapter 7. Conclusions and
Implications.....................................................................................................................
.......................
193 
 Chapter 8. Future
Directions........................................................................................................................
.....................................
195 
 References.......................................................................................................................
................................................................
198 
 Appendix........................................................................................................................
..................................................................
267 
 
    About this Dissertation 
Rights statement- Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.
  
    
    | School |  | 
|---|
    | Department |  | 
|---|
    
    | Degree |  | 
|---|
    | Submission |  | 
|---|
    | Language |  | 
|---|
    | Research Field |  | 
|---|
    | Palavra-chave |  | 
|---|
    | Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor |  | 
|---|
    | Committee Members |  | 
|---|