Eradicating H pylori Could Help Prevent Gastric Cancer in Asians

Searching for and eradicating the bacteria Helicobacter pylori could reduce the incidence of gastric cancer in otherwise healthy individuals, especially in Asian populations, according to a new study.

“Infection with Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis, which can lead to gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia,” wrote study authors led by Alexander C. Ford, MD, of St. James University Hospital in Leeds in the United Kingdom. “These are the main histological precursors to gastric cancer, and it is therefore plausible that H pylori infection may cause gastric cancer.”