This book is the proceedings of the Falk Workshop on 'Strategies of Cancer Prevention in Gastroenterology', held in Mainz, Germany, on 17 September 2008. The meeting was a unique opportunity to assemble so many of the world's best experts to discuss the state of the art and future developments and challenges in cancer prevention in gastroenterology. Barrett's, gastric and colorectal cancer were the main topics, with cancer in inflammatory bowel disease as a particular subject. The overall impression of the meeting was the experience that in many countries of the world the strategies are similar with, of course, focus on different ways to reach the same goal of reducing incidence and cancer mortality. It was extremely stimulating to exchange new ideas and new concepts and to see what progress in public awareness has been made in different countries. Cancer prevention is and will continue to remain a major political as well as a genuinely medical task, to work for more convenient and useful programs and to carry the burden of broad acceptance. This workshop was another milestone on the long road towards this difficult goal. All those working in this important field will find in this book detailed information and instruction for their clinical and/or scientific activities.

In the rapidly evolving field of Helicobacter infection new data on pathogenetic and pathophysiological mechanism have appeared. New methods which will be more sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of the infection are being developed and in this proceedings the first attempt using PCR technology is published. From the clinical point of view, a challenging aspect that needs clarification, is the observation which suggests an appearance of a correlation between the presence of the bacteria and abdominal pain and other symptoms in children whereas in old age no such correlation is evident. The relationship of H. pylori and gastric cancer is studied with histopathological data and epidemiological approaches. On the treatment side schemes using short courses and new antibiotic combinations are being investigated and preliminary data are reported.

Helieobaeter pylori has recently been recognized as a new genus according to specific taxonomic criteria; the "popular" name Campylobaeter pylori has been corrected by scientific progress. Following the discovery of the spiral microorgan ism in gastric mucosa by Marshall and Warren in 1982, it took only a few years for H. pylori to become established as a factor in the pathogenesis of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Interest in different aspects of H. pylori has grown continuously and has attracted scientists from various medical and biological disciplines such as gastroenterology, microbiology, pathology, immunology, and pharmacology. Indeed H. pylori provides an excellent model for interdisciplinary interaction and cooperation. To promote this concept of interdisciplinary research and exchange of knowledge, a European Campylobacter (Helicobacter) Pylori Study Group was founded in 1987 in Copenhagen. The second meeting of this expanding group was held from October 12-14,1989 in Ulm, FRG. The fact that more than 500 participants attended the conference and that 187 original contributions from all five continents were presented clearly confirmed that H. pylori has "scientifically infected" the whole world. Our understanding of the microbiological and pathogenetic aspects of H. pylori is continuously being challenged as new results follow swifthy from different research areas. This book includes an update and progress report on the various aspects of H. pylori presented and discussed in special workshops held during the meeting in Ulm.

The development and improvement of new technologies have made pancreatic disease more accessible to diagnosis in the last decade. The cooperation and coordination of experts in the fields of gastro enterology, radiology, biochemistry, immunology, and pathology are necessary if the methods are to be made available and the progress made to be fully exploited. Each of the new methods requires special training, and extensive experience is needed to guarantee high standards in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease. New methods have to be tested carefully against established diagnostic procedures, though at the same time we must be ready to adopt a new approach to diagnosis. The aim of this book is to update the material already published and to focus on the various imaging methods and functional tests currently available, the features specific for each, and their integrative potential in the detection of pancreatic disease. The various pathologic findings are analyzed with reference to the clinical stages of pancreatic disease. As an introduction to the morphological and functional features of acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer revealed by the different imaging methods and functional tests, basic knowledge of the patho-physiological and pathomorphological events is provided by research workers. This knowledge is essential for the understanding and interpretation of the diagnostic findings recorded in pancreatic diseases.