Gastric cancer etiology: a biochemical hypothesis.

We have proposed a two-stage biochemical model for the etiology of "intestinal" gastric cancer. The model postulates that the gastric mucosal barrier is biochemically pierced as a result of chemical interactions between the mucoproteins and mucopolysaccharides of the barrier and ingested polysaccharrides (starches). This would allow the growth of gastric flora which could produce carcinogenic nitrosamines and/or nitrosamides.