S100A8 and gastric cancer: Several experimental studies [6,11] have shown that high sodium increases the incidence of GC as it (1) increases the colonization of gastric mucosa by H. pylori infection, (2) damages the mucous cell layer surface, (3) increases the expression of inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide, and (4) upregulates cagA expression, which leads to inflammation, hypochlorhydria, and enhanced carcinogenesis [11].