Helicobacter pylori Drives 76% of Projected 15.6 Million Stomach Cancers, Underscoring Urgent Case for Screening
核心洞察
A 2025 Nature Medicine study coordinated by IARC projects 15.6 million stomach cancer (搜索) cases among people born from 2008 to 2017, with 76% attributable to Helicobacter pylori (搜索) infection.
Helicobacter pylori (搜索) is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen and is both detectable and treatable, making large-scale prevention feasible.
In Italy, over 14,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer (搜索) annually, yet fewer than 20% of cases are detected at an early stage.
A 2025 study published in Nature Medicine and coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (搜索) (IARC, part of the World Health Organization) projects that 15.6 million cases of stomach cancer (搜索) are expected among people born from 2008 to 2017. The most striking finding is that three out of four of those cases — 76% — are linked to a single bacterium, Helicobacter pylori (搜索), which is both detectable and treatable. This represents what researchers describe as an opportunity for large-scale prevention that cannot be ignored.
Gastric cancer remains the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and the majority of these cases are directly related to Helicobacter pylori (搜索). The IARC has classified the bacterium as a Group 1 carcinogen for humans. It settles into the lining of the stomach, often as early as childhood, typically being passed among family members. If left untreated, it causes chronic inflammation of the stomach (gastritis), which can lead to precancerous changes: atrophy of the lining, intestinal metaplasia, and then dysplasia, according to France's Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (SFED).
The Preventable Burden of Disease
The scale of Helicobacter pylori (搜索)'s impact is substantial. A full 76% of the anticipated 15.6 million gastric cancers in today's young generations could be attributed to this single infection. In plain terms, eliminating Helicobacter pylori could wipe out nearly three-quarters of the world's stomach cancer (搜索) burden.
In France, the National Cancer Institute estimates that 20% to 50% of people are carriers of the bacterium, but less than 1% will actually develop cancer. The Institut Pasteur reports around 6,500 new cases of stomach cancer (搜索) every year in France, with only 15% to 20% surviving five years after diagnosis.
In Italy, over 14,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer (搜索) each year. Although Italy ranks among the European countries with the best survival rates, the disease has largely disappeared from the cancer-prevention radar. Experts estimate that over 20% of Italians are infected with Helicobacter, a bacterium which, in 22% of cases, contributes to the development of precancerous lesions. Fortunately, only between 1% and 3% will develop stomach cancer over a period of 10–20 years.
The Case for Early Detection and Screening
A central paradox drives the push for prevention: unlike many other cancers, the cause of gastric cancer is very well understood. Eighty percent of gastric carcinomas are directly or indirectly linked to infection with Helicobacter pylori (搜索). Thirteen percent of all cancer cases worldwide are caused by untreated chronic infections.
The cervical cancer model offers a compelling precedent. In Australia, the identification of the role of HPV, the introduction of screening programmes, and widespread vaccination have profoundly altered the natural history of the disease. Similarly, vaccination against hepatitis B and C is helping to reduce the number of primary liver cancers.
Yet in fewer than 20% of gastric cancer cases is the disease detected at an early stage. Stomach cancer (搜索) screening in Italy would make it possible to increase the five-year survival rate — currently standing at around 32% — to over 60%.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Multiple tests exist to diagnose Helicobacter pylori (搜索). The urea breath test is fast and non-invasive. Stool antigen tests are also available. Biopsies during a gastroscopy remain the gold standard, allowing doctors to directly spot any precancerous lesions in the stomach lining.
An antibiotic regimen combined with a proton pump inhibitor (搜索) is effective in eradicating the bacterium in the vast majority of cases. However, the SFED notes that about 30% of H. pylori cases in France are resistant to antibiotics, meaning doctors must adhere closely to treatment protocols and always verify that the infection is cleared after therapy.
Economic Considerations
According to a recent Italian analysis, healthcare costs are estimated at around 12,800 euros per citizen with localised disease, 18,500 euros for locally advanced disease, and over 15,000 euros for metastatic disease. Over 88% of expenditure is linked to hospital admissions. These figures were collected before the widespread adoption of the latest innovative therapies, such as immunotherapy and new molecularly targeted drugs. Added to this are the costs of follow-up care, relapses, nutritional complications, loss of productivity at work, disability, and the often invisible but vital role of carers.
Emerging Research Directions
Scientists in Japan have shown in mice that mRNA vaccines coding for proteins specific to cancer cells could potentially cure even very advanced gastric cancers, representing a major step forward in personalized treatment for this severe cancer.
Other well-known risk enhancers include smoking, drinking alcohol, and diets high in salt. Yet tackling Helicobacter pylori (搜索) remains the single most powerful lever for prevention. For individuals in any of these risk profiles, a quick, non-invasive breath test can provide answers that may be decisive for long-term digestive health.