Rocha GA, et al. - Since there is a specific link between the IL-23/Th17 axis in cancer development and IL-27 was considered a potential cancer treatment, researchers evaluated the gastric and serum concentrations of IL-27 in two mutually exclusive Helicobacter pylori-associated diseases, gastric cancer (GC) and duodenal ulcer (DU). One hundred ten H pylori-positive patients and 40 healthy blood donors were prospectively studied. According to results, IL-27 was not detected in patients with GC, but in patients with DU, cytokine concentration was very high. In addition, IL-27 was detected in the gastritis patients and in the H pylori-positive blood donors. Findings suggested a positive association of gastric IL-27 concentrations with an increased degree of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells on the antral gastric mucosa of DU patients in consonance with the DU gastritis pattern. While IL-27 and IL-27Rα secretion can be caused by H pylori infection, DU and GC have diametrically opposed cytokine patterns.