The Blood Groups in Relation to Peptic Ulceration and Carcinoma of Colon, Rectum, Breast, and Bronchus

Abstract

We have previously shown an association between the ABO blood groups and cancer of the stomach, group A being significantly commoner in patients suffering from cancer of the stomach than in controls drawn from the same hospitals (Aird, Bentall, and Roberts, 1953).The further diseases for which fairly large numbers have so far been obtained are peptic ulceration and carcinoma of the colon, rectum, breast, and bronchus.The results are presented in this paper, which also includes some data on Rhesus grouping.In addition, further calculations have been made on the figures for cancer of the stomach already published.A detailed examination of our data follows.The results have proved remarkably clear-cut: blood group 0 is strikingly high and the other three groups correspondingly low in patients suffering from peptic ulcer.The three cancers now studied, unlike cancer of the stomach, showed no significant blood-group association. Collection of DataThe survey was carried out at 12 hospitals in England, and covers cases treated during the years 1948-53.At the first hospital visited, St. Mark's, London, cases from 1946 were included, but, as the blood groups were not often recorded in the earlier years, surveys in hospitals subsequently visited were restricted to 1948-53.It was also felt that during this period blood-grouping tech- niques were uniform and reliable.In such a study it was imperative to have rigid criteria of diagnosis in each disease.For the carcinomas, only cases proved by histological report on material obtained by biopsy, operation, or post-mortem examination were accepted.In peptic ulceration the criterion was a macroscopic report (operation or gastroscopy).The majority of these cases were perforated or bleeding ulcers or those submitted to elective surgery, for it is only in these cases that the blood group is often iecorded.Thus our series does not include many medically treated cases and therefore is not representa- *In receipt of a personal and expense grant from the British Empire Cancer Campaign.