A new study shows that nearly 75% of future stomach cancer cases could be prevented by getting rid of one common bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori.
Published Monday in Nature Medicine, the research estimates that 76% of future stomach cancers are tied to chronic infections with H. pylori, a bacteria already known to cause ulcers and digestive issues. Researchers say most of these cancers can be prevented with early treatment using antibiotics and acid-reducing medications known as proton pump inhibitors.
The scope of the study is significant. Scientists analyzed data from 185 countries and projected that 15.6 million people born between 2008 and 2017 will eventually develop stomach cancer. Of those cases, 11.9 million are expected to result from H. pylori infection.
About 10.6 million of those future cases will occur in Asia, with China and India alone accounting for 42%. However, researchers also warned of a looming increase in Africa due to rapid population growth, projecting stomach cancer rates there could grow nearly six-fold by the time today’s children reach adulthood.
Although the United States faces lower total numbers, the study raised concern over gaps in public health policy. There are currently no national guidelines for gastric cancer screening or prevention, despite rising cases among young adults, particularly women, and disproportionate impacts on minority communities including Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and American Indian-Alaska Native groups.
Stomach cancer will affect an estimated 30,300 Americans this year, with about 10,780 expected to die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Most cases are diagnosed in older adults.
- pylori infection is extremely common. The Mayo Clinic reports that more than half the world’s population may carry the bacteria at some point in their lives. It spreads through contact with vomit, saliva, or stool and often causes stomach pain, gas, bloating, and ulcers. In many cases, it goes undiagnosed until complications appear.
Researchers emphasized the need for early intervention and public awareness. While antibiotics can clear the infection, they warned that longer-term solutions may depend on vaccine development. Only one H. pylori vaccine has reached phase 3 of clinical trials, and further investment is needed—especially for protecting children.
Despite the clear data linking the bacteria to cancer, the study criticized the lack of action worldwide. “More active intervention and control programs should be implemented,” researchers wrote, particularly in countries with the resources to act but where H. pylori still poses a major threat.
Without such efforts, millions could face a preventable diagnosis decades from now.