Vanessa Ramirez | Universidad de Costa Rica (original) (raw)

Papers by Vanessa Ramirez

Nature Communications, Dec 10, 2023

Acta Médica Costarricense

Objetivo: Describir las aberraciones citogenéticas que pueden ser observadas por medio de la técn... more Objetivo: Describir las aberraciones citogenéticas que pueden ser observadas por medio de la técnica Giemsa en fluorescencia y encontradas en pacientes con cáncer antes y después de ser sometidos a tratamiento con radioterapia.Métodos: Se analizó un mínimo de 200 metafases en primera división mitótica, antes y después del tratamiento de radioterapia en nueve pacientes que asistieron a la sección de radioterapia del Hospital San Juan de Dios, Costa Rica. En cada caso, se contabilizó cada tipo de cromosomopatía por medio de la prueba de Giemsa en fluorescencia y utilizando bromodeoxiuridina y naranja de acridina.Resultados: Las cromosomopatías producidas por radioterapia se observaron tanto antes como después del tratamiento; sin embargo, destacó el incremento en la frecuencia de los cromosomas dicéntricos y anillos céntricos una vez finalizada la terapia. La frecuencia de fracturas cromatídicas, de asociaciones satelíticas y de alteraciones morfológicas no se ve afectada por la radio...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica

Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) pueden inducir la formación de micronúcleos (MN). L... more Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) pueden inducir la formación de micronúcleos (MN). La frecuencia de MN se utiliza como biomarcador de daño genético inducido por (RI). Objetivo: evaluar el daño al ADN resultante de la exposición ocupacional a RI en personal de clínicas veterinarias o afines. Metodología: se utilizó el ensayo de micronúcleos con bloqueo de la citocinesis (MNBC) para comparar la frecuencia observada del biomarcador en 40 individuos expuestos ocupacionalmente a RI con respecto a un grupo control de 32 participantes, ambos grupos pertenecen a personal veterinario. Además, se registraron variables demográficas, de estilo de vida y ocupacionales que pudieran influir en la formación de MN. Resultados: el análisis univariado no demostró diferencias significativas en la frecuencia de MN entre los grupos de estudio (p = 0,118). Mediante análisis multivariado se obtuvo que aproximadamente un 27 % (R2 ajustado = 0,269) de la variabilidad de la frecuencia de MN se ex...

Journal of Virology, 2005

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been detected in subsets of breast cancers. In order to elaborat... more The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been detected in subsets of breast cancers. In order to elaborate on these observations, we quantified by real-time PCR (Q-PCR) the EBV genome in biopsy specimens of breast cancer tissue as well as in tumor cells isolated by microdissection. Our findings show that EBV genomes can be detected by Q-PCR in about half of tumor specimens, usually in low copy numbers. However, we also found that the viral load is highly variable from tumor to tumor. Moreover, EBV genomes are heterogeneously distributed in morphologically identical tumor cells, with some clusters of isolated tumor cells containing relatively high genome numbers while other tumor cells isolated from the same specimen may be negative for EBV DNA. Using reverse transcription-PCR, we detected EBV gene transcripts: EBNA-1 in almost all of the EBV-positive tumors and RNA of the EBV oncoprotein LMP-1 in a smaller subset of the tissues analyzed. Moreover, BARF-1 RNA was detected in half of the case...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica, 2021

The aim of this work is to describe and analyze the association of PGI/PGII ratio (indicator of g... more The aim of this work is to describe and analyze the association of PGI/PGII ratio (indicator of gastric atrophy) with H. pylori-CagA and life style factors such as caloric intake, obesity, and harmful habits amongst H. pylori-positive elderly people infected in Costa Rica using an exploratory multigroup structural equations model (SEM). Using a sample of 1748 H. pylori-positive elderly people from CRELES first wave study, a SEM was employed analyze if the relationships between PGI/PGII ratio with levels of H. pylori-CagA, caloric intake, obesity, and harmful habits, differs by sex, age and risk areas subgroups. The proposed SEMs exhibited a good fit in males (RMSEA = 0.039), females (RMSEA = 0.000), low-risk area (RMSEA = 0.038), middle-risk area (RMSEA = 0.042), individuals under 80 years (RMSEA = 0.038) and individuals aged 80 and over (RMSEA = 0.042), while an acceptable fit was observed for the high-risk area (RMSEA = 0.061). Fitted SEMs showed that CagA predicted PG-ratio as ex...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica, 2022

INTRODUCTION: Costa Rica has among the highest mortality rates from gastric cancer in the world, ... more INTRODUCTION: Costa Rica has among the highest mortality rates from gastric cancer in the world, largely due to late detection. It is therefore important that economically and logistically sustainable screening is implemented in order to detect risk of developing cancer. We have previously shown that low pepsinogen (PG) values and infection with Helicobacter pylori-CagA+ are associated with risk of gastric atrophy and cancer in Costa Rican populations. OBJECTIVES: To determine how markers for gastric cancer risk are distributed in an elderly population representative of Costa Rica in order to design a screening strategy. METHODS: The population studied consists of 2,652 participants in a nationally representative survey of ageing. Information concerning epidemiologic, demographic, nutritional and life style factors is available. Serum PG concentrations as well as H. pylori and CagA status were determined by serology. Possible associations were determined by regression analyses. RES...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica, 2021

Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) son capaces de perjudicar el ADN; para evaluar este... more Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) son capaces de perjudicar el ADN; para evaluar este fenómeno es posible utilizar la formación de micronúcleos como biomarcador de efecto temprano del daño radioinducido. El ensayo de micronúcleos con bloqueo de la citocinesis (MNBC) es una técnica citogenética que permite demostrar el impacto de agentes genotóxicos. Propósito: en el presente trabajo se describieron mecanismos moleculares involucrados en la radioinducción de micronúcleos, la técnica del MNBC, los criterios de análisis, sus aplicaciones dentro de la investigación biológica y su extensión a la clínica, con énfasis en su empleo como biomarcador del daño genético en grupos sobreexpuestos a RI. Argumentos para la discusión: el MNBC se considera un método confiable, simple y rápido y existe evidencia de su aplicabilidad para el estudio de los efectos biológicos en casos de riesgo ocupacional y en accidentes radiológicos aislados o a gran escala. Conclusiones: el MNBC es una her...

World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008

The American journal of the medical sciences, 2021

BACKGROUND Costa Rica is ranked as one of the countries with highest incidence of gastric cancer ... more BACKGROUND Costa Rica is ranked as one of the countries with highest incidence of gastric cancer worldwide. Previous studies in Costa Rican populations have revealed associations between gastric cancer risk and several cytokine polymorphisms that seem to play a role in the regulation of the expression of these proteins. In this study, we assessed associations of the polymorphisms IL-6-174 G/C, IFNGR1-56 C/T, IL-8-251 T/A and TNF-A (-857 C/T, -308 A/G) with gastric pathologies in a high-risk population of Latin America. METHODS DNA samples of 47 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, 53 with chronic gastritis, 56 with duodenal ulcer and 94 healthy controls, were genotyped for the five mentioned SNPs. All participants were ≥50-years-old. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP and 5'-nuclease PCR assay. H. pylori infection, CagA status, pepsinogen (PG) I and II blood levels were determined by ELISA. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine possible associations of the polymo...

Articulo cientifico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 2001

Acta Bioquimica Clinica Latinoamericana, 2003

Articulo cientifico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 2003

A través de los años se ha venido acumulando evidencia de mutagenicidad y cancerigenicidad para n... more A través de los años se ha venido acumulando evidencia de mutagenicidad y cancerigenicidad para numerosas sustancias y determinadas ocupaciones. Paralelamente ha sido posible, el desarrollo de metodologías que permiten evaluar el daño genético que causan los agentes ambientales. Por lo tanto, vivimos un momento en el cual es posible hacer monitoreo del efecto temprano que causa la exposición ocupacional y tomar medidas correctivas, antes de que el proceso de daño genético sea irreversible. De esta manera se puede contribuir a proteger la salud y bienestar de trabajadores de alto riesgo por razones laborales.

Articulo cientifico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 2002

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences

Revista de Biología Tropical

Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignanc... more Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignancies worldwide. Although Helicobacter pylori is the most well-established risk factor for the development of this neoplasm, most of the infected individuals do not develop gastric cancer. Two of the main challenges faced by the world’s scientific community in the combat against gastric cancer are the unraveling of its pathogenesis and the identification of novel ways to bring down the mortality. Malignant cell invasion of the non-neoplastic adjacent tissue and metastasis are pivotal events during cancer development and progression. Both processes are facilitated by proteases capable of degrading components of the extracellular matrix, some of which have been associated to clinico-pathological aspects of the disease. Recent studies have suggested the possible connection between H. pylori and the expression of some of these proteases in gastric mucosa. This review summarizes the current kno...

ecancermedicalscience

Justification: The prevalence of gastric cancer (GC) with increased expression of the HER2 oncopr... more Justification: The prevalence of gastric cancer (GC) with increased expression of the HER2 oncoprotein shows important variations worldwide. Incidence and mortality rates of GC in Costa Rica are among the highest in Latin America and the world; however, the prevalence of HER2-positive cases in this country is unknown. Evaluation of this parameter is important to decide the therapeutic approach for GC patients. The aim of this study was to provide an estimation of the prevalence of GC patients overexpressing the HER2 oncogene in Costa Rica. Methods: The investigation was carried out in two phases. The first one consisted of a retrospective review of 331 clinical records of patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic GC from January 2010 to January 2012 in four hospitals in Costa Rica. In the second phase, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) analyses were performed in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) surgical samples from 50 patients diagnosed with GC between 2012 and 2015. Results: Of the 331 clinical files reviewed, the assessment of HER2 status was carried out in 62 patients (18.7%), of which only five (8%) were HER2-positive. In the 50 surgical specimens in which IHC and FISH analyses were performed, two of them (4%) presented overexpression and amplification of the HER2 oncogene. Conclusion: This study suggests that the prevalence of GC cases overexpressing the HER2 oncogene in Costa Rica is less than 8%. This is the first attempt ever undertaken to estimate the prevalence of HER2-positivity in GC in Costa Rica.

World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a wellestablished risk factor for the development of... more Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a wellestablished risk factor for the development of gastric cancer (GC), one of the most common and deadliest neoplasms worldwide. H. pylori infection induces chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa that, in the absence of treatment, may progress through a series of steps to GC. GC is only one of several clinical outcomes associated with this bacterial infection, which may be at least partially attributed to the high genetic variability of H. pylori. The biological mechanisms underlying how and under what circumstances H. pylori alters normal physiological processes remain enigmatic. A key aspect of carcinogenesis is the acquisition of traits that equip preneoplastic cells with the ability to invade. Accumulating evidence implicates H. pylori in the manipulation of cellular and molecular programs that are crucial for conferring cells with invasive capabilities. We present here an overview of the main findings about the involvement of H. pylori in the acquisition of cell invasive behavior, specifically focusing on the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, changes in cell polarity, and deregulation of molecules that control extracellular matrix remodeling.

Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignanc... more Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignancies worldwide. Although Helicobacter pylori is the most well-established risk factor for the development of this neoplasm, most of the infected individuals do not develop gastric cancer. Two of the main challenges faced by the world’s scientific community in the combat against gastric cancer are the unraveling of its pathogenesis and the identification of novel ways to bring down the mortality. Malignant cell invasion of the non-neoplastic adjacent tissue and metastasis are pivotal events during cancer development and progression. Both processes are facilitated by proteases capable of degrading components of the extracellular matrix, some of which have been associated to clinic-pathological aspects of the disease. Recent studies have suggested the possible connection between H. pylori and the expression of some of these proteases in gastric mucosa. This review summarizes the current know...

Nature Communications, Dec 10, 2023

Acta Médica Costarricense

Objetivo: Describir las aberraciones citogenéticas que pueden ser observadas por medio de la técn... more Objetivo: Describir las aberraciones citogenéticas que pueden ser observadas por medio de la técnica Giemsa en fluorescencia y encontradas en pacientes con cáncer antes y después de ser sometidos a tratamiento con radioterapia.Métodos: Se analizó un mínimo de 200 metafases en primera división mitótica, antes y después del tratamiento de radioterapia en nueve pacientes que asistieron a la sección de radioterapia del Hospital San Juan de Dios, Costa Rica. En cada caso, se contabilizó cada tipo de cromosomopatía por medio de la prueba de Giemsa en fluorescencia y utilizando bromodeoxiuridina y naranja de acridina.Resultados: Las cromosomopatías producidas por radioterapia se observaron tanto antes como después del tratamiento; sin embargo, destacó el incremento en la frecuencia de los cromosomas dicéntricos y anillos céntricos una vez finalizada la terapia. La frecuencia de fracturas cromatídicas, de asociaciones satelíticas y de alteraciones morfológicas no se ve afectada por la radio...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica

Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) pueden inducir la formación de micronúcleos (MN). L... more Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) pueden inducir la formación de micronúcleos (MN). La frecuencia de MN se utiliza como biomarcador de daño genético inducido por (RI). Objetivo: evaluar el daño al ADN resultante de la exposición ocupacional a RI en personal de clínicas veterinarias o afines. Metodología: se utilizó el ensayo de micronúcleos con bloqueo de la citocinesis (MNBC) para comparar la frecuencia observada del biomarcador en 40 individuos expuestos ocupacionalmente a RI con respecto a un grupo control de 32 participantes, ambos grupos pertenecen a personal veterinario. Además, se registraron variables demográficas, de estilo de vida y ocupacionales que pudieran influir en la formación de MN. Resultados: el análisis univariado no demostró diferencias significativas en la frecuencia de MN entre los grupos de estudio (p = 0,118). Mediante análisis multivariado se obtuvo que aproximadamente un 27 % (R2 ajustado = 0,269) de la variabilidad de la frecuencia de MN se ex...

Journal of Virology, 2005

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been detected in subsets of breast cancers. In order to elaborat... more The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been detected in subsets of breast cancers. In order to elaborate on these observations, we quantified by real-time PCR (Q-PCR) the EBV genome in biopsy specimens of breast cancer tissue as well as in tumor cells isolated by microdissection. Our findings show that EBV genomes can be detected by Q-PCR in about half of tumor specimens, usually in low copy numbers. However, we also found that the viral load is highly variable from tumor to tumor. Moreover, EBV genomes are heterogeneously distributed in morphologically identical tumor cells, with some clusters of isolated tumor cells containing relatively high genome numbers while other tumor cells isolated from the same specimen may be negative for EBV DNA. Using reverse transcription-PCR, we detected EBV gene transcripts: EBNA-1 in almost all of the EBV-positive tumors and RNA of the EBV oncoprotein LMP-1 in a smaller subset of the tissues analyzed. Moreover, BARF-1 RNA was detected in half of the case...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica, 2021

The aim of this work is to describe and analyze the association of PGI/PGII ratio (indicator of g... more The aim of this work is to describe and analyze the association of PGI/PGII ratio (indicator of gastric atrophy) with H. pylori-CagA and life style factors such as caloric intake, obesity, and harmful habits amongst H. pylori-positive elderly people infected in Costa Rica using an exploratory multigroup structural equations model (SEM). Using a sample of 1748 H. pylori-positive elderly people from CRELES first wave study, a SEM was employed analyze if the relationships between PGI/PGII ratio with levels of H. pylori-CagA, caloric intake, obesity, and harmful habits, differs by sex, age and risk areas subgroups. The proposed SEMs exhibited a good fit in males (RMSEA = 0.039), females (RMSEA = 0.000), low-risk area (RMSEA = 0.038), middle-risk area (RMSEA = 0.042), individuals under 80 years (RMSEA = 0.038) and individuals aged 80 and over (RMSEA = 0.042), while an acceptable fit was observed for the high-risk area (RMSEA = 0.061). Fitted SEMs showed that CagA predicted PG-ratio as ex...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica, 2022

INTRODUCTION: Costa Rica has among the highest mortality rates from gastric cancer in the world, ... more INTRODUCTION: Costa Rica has among the highest mortality rates from gastric cancer in the world, largely due to late detection. It is therefore important that economically and logistically sustainable screening is implemented in order to detect risk of developing cancer. We have previously shown that low pepsinogen (PG) values and infection with Helicobacter pylori-CagA+ are associated with risk of gastric atrophy and cancer in Costa Rican populations. OBJECTIVES: To determine how markers for gastric cancer risk are distributed in an elderly population representative of Costa Rica in order to design a screening strategy. METHODS: The population studied consists of 2,652 participants in a nationally representative survey of ageing. Information concerning epidemiologic, demographic, nutritional and life style factors is available. Serum PG concentrations as well as H. pylori and CagA status were determined by serology. Possible associations were determined by regression analyses. RES...

Población y Salud en Mesoamérica, 2021

Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) son capaces de perjudicar el ADN; para evaluar este... more Introducción: las radiaciones ionizantes (RI) son capaces de perjudicar el ADN; para evaluar este fenómeno es posible utilizar la formación de micronúcleos como biomarcador de efecto temprano del daño radioinducido. El ensayo de micronúcleos con bloqueo de la citocinesis (MNBC) es una técnica citogenética que permite demostrar el impacto de agentes genotóxicos. Propósito: en el presente trabajo se describieron mecanismos moleculares involucrados en la radioinducción de micronúcleos, la técnica del MNBC, los criterios de análisis, sus aplicaciones dentro de la investigación biológica y su extensión a la clínica, con énfasis en su empleo como biomarcador del daño genético en grupos sobreexpuestos a RI. Argumentos para la discusión: el MNBC se considera un método confiable, simple y rápido y existe evidencia de su aplicabilidad para el estudio de los efectos biológicos en casos de riesgo ocupacional y en accidentes radiológicos aislados o a gran escala. Conclusiones: el MNBC es una her...

World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008

The American journal of the medical sciences, 2021

BACKGROUND Costa Rica is ranked as one of the countries with highest incidence of gastric cancer ... more BACKGROUND Costa Rica is ranked as one of the countries with highest incidence of gastric cancer worldwide. Previous studies in Costa Rican populations have revealed associations between gastric cancer risk and several cytokine polymorphisms that seem to play a role in the regulation of the expression of these proteins. In this study, we assessed associations of the polymorphisms IL-6-174 G/C, IFNGR1-56 C/T, IL-8-251 T/A and TNF-A (-857 C/T, -308 A/G) with gastric pathologies in a high-risk population of Latin America. METHODS DNA samples of 47 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, 53 with chronic gastritis, 56 with duodenal ulcer and 94 healthy controls, were genotyped for the five mentioned SNPs. All participants were ≥50-years-old. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP and 5'-nuclease PCR assay. H. pylori infection, CagA status, pepsinogen (PG) I and II blood levels were determined by ELISA. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine possible associations of the polymo...

Articulo cientifico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 2001

Acta Bioquimica Clinica Latinoamericana, 2003

Articulo cientifico -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud. 2003

A través de los años se ha venido acumulando evidencia de mutagenicidad y cancerigenicidad para n... more A través de los años se ha venido acumulando evidencia de mutagenicidad y cancerigenicidad para numerosas sustancias y determinadas ocupaciones. Paralelamente ha sido posible, el desarrollo de metodologías que permiten evaluar el daño genético que causan los agentes ambientales. Por lo tanto, vivimos un momento en el cual es posible hacer monitoreo del efecto temprano que causa la exposición ocupacional y tomar medidas correctivas, antes de que el proceso de daño genético sea irreversible. De esta manera se puede contribuir a proteger la salud y bienestar de trabajadores de alto riesgo por razones laborales.

Articulo cientifico -- Universidad de Costa Rica. Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud, 2002

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences

Revista de Biología Tropical

Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignanc... more Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignancies worldwide. Although Helicobacter pylori is the most well-established risk factor for the development of this neoplasm, most of the infected individuals do not develop gastric cancer. Two of the main challenges faced by the world’s scientific community in the combat against gastric cancer are the unraveling of its pathogenesis and the identification of novel ways to bring down the mortality. Malignant cell invasion of the non-neoplastic adjacent tissue and metastasis are pivotal events during cancer development and progression. Both processes are facilitated by proteases capable of degrading components of the extracellular matrix, some of which have been associated to clinico-pathological aspects of the disease. Recent studies have suggested the possible connection between H. pylori and the expression of some of these proteases in gastric mucosa. This review summarizes the current kno...

ecancermedicalscience

Justification: The prevalence of gastric cancer (GC) with increased expression of the HER2 oncopr... more Justification: The prevalence of gastric cancer (GC) with increased expression of the HER2 oncoprotein shows important variations worldwide. Incidence and mortality rates of GC in Costa Rica are among the highest in Latin America and the world; however, the prevalence of HER2-positive cases in this country is unknown. Evaluation of this parameter is important to decide the therapeutic approach for GC patients. The aim of this study was to provide an estimation of the prevalence of GC patients overexpressing the HER2 oncogene in Costa Rica. Methods: The investigation was carried out in two phases. The first one consisted of a retrospective review of 331 clinical records of patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic GC from January 2010 to January 2012 in four hospitals in Costa Rica. In the second phase, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) analyses were performed in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) surgical samples from 50 patients diagnosed with GC between 2012 and 2015. Results: Of the 331 clinical files reviewed, the assessment of HER2 status was carried out in 62 patients (18.7%), of which only five (8%) were HER2-positive. In the 50 surgical specimens in which IHC and FISH analyses were performed, two of them (4%) presented overexpression and amplification of the HER2 oncogene. Conclusion: This study suggests that the prevalence of GC cases overexpressing the HER2 oncogene in Costa Rica is less than 8%. This is the first attempt ever undertaken to estimate the prevalence of HER2-positivity in GC in Costa Rica.

World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a wellestablished risk factor for the development of... more Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a wellestablished risk factor for the development of gastric cancer (GC), one of the most common and deadliest neoplasms worldwide. H. pylori infection induces chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa that, in the absence of treatment, may progress through a series of steps to GC. GC is only one of several clinical outcomes associated with this bacterial infection, which may be at least partially attributed to the high genetic variability of H. pylori. The biological mechanisms underlying how and under what circumstances H. pylori alters normal physiological processes remain enigmatic. A key aspect of carcinogenesis is the acquisition of traits that equip preneoplastic cells with the ability to invade. Accumulating evidence implicates H. pylori in the manipulation of cellular and molecular programs that are crucial for conferring cells with invasive capabilities. We present here an overview of the main findings about the involvement of H. pylori in the acquisition of cell invasive behavior, specifically focusing on the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, changes in cell polarity, and deregulation of molecules that control extracellular matrix remodeling.

Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignanc... more Gastric cancer is ranked as the third death-causing cancer and one of the most incident malignancies worldwide. Although Helicobacter pylori is the most well-established risk factor for the development of this neoplasm, most of the infected individuals do not develop gastric cancer. Two of the main challenges faced by the world’s scientific community in the combat against gastric cancer are the unraveling of its pathogenesis and the identification of novel ways to bring down the mortality. Malignant cell invasion of the non-neoplastic adjacent tissue and metastasis are pivotal events during cancer development and progression. Both processes are facilitated by proteases capable of degrading components of the extracellular matrix, some of which have been associated to clinic-pathological aspects of the disease. Recent studies have suggested the possible connection between H. pylori and the expression of some of these proteases in gastric mucosa. This review summarizes the current know...