Abstract

This study analysed gastric mucosal DNA by 32P-postlabelling in a series of patients who have had previous vagotomy for benign peptic ulcer disease. DNA adduct levels were found to be significantly higher in patients who had had previous truncal vagotomy than in those who had had previous highly selective vagotomy (p < 0.001). Intragastric bile concentrations were also considerably higher in patients after truncal vagotomy but there was no correlation between intragastric bile concentrations and DNA adduct levels. These results suggest that, although duodenogastric reflux may be a cause of gastric mucosal DNA damage in the stomach after vagotomy, measurement of total intragastric bile does not accurately reflect genotoxic insult.