Simple treatment could prevent 75pc of stomach cancer cases

City Desk:

A highly effective screening and treatment program for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection could reduce global stomach cancer cases by up to 75 per cent, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine.

The study highlights a concerning global trend: rising rates of stomach cancer among people under the age of 50. Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), found that most future cases are linked to the preventable infection H. pylori – the strongest known risk factor for gastric cancer, reports UNB.
H. pylori are a common bacterial infection that can be effectively treated using antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. The researchers projected that, without new prevention strategies, 15.6 million new stomach cancer cases will occur globally among individuals born between 2008 and 2017.

Crucially, according to the study published in Nature Medicine, 76 per cent of these cases – about three-quarters – are attributable to H. pylori and are potentially preventable. Asia is expected to carry the highest burden, with an estimated 10.6 million cases, followed by the Americas and Africa.

The study used large-scale simulations that incorporated data from GLOBOCAN 2022 and UN mortality projections to estimate lifetime cancer risk based on age, death probability, and demographic trends.

The authors assert that a 100 per cent effective screening and treatment program could reduce stomach cancer cases by up to 75 per cent.