Stomach microbe exposure may be linked to more than 1 in 5 bowel cancer cases worldwide
Exposure to the stomach microbe Helicobacter pylori may be associated with more than 1 in 5 cases of colorectal cancer worldwide, suggests an exploratory risk-attribution study published in the journal eGastroenterology.
New evidence suggests that exposure to the stomach microbe Helicobacter pylori may be linked to over one in five cases of colorectal cancer worldwide. A study published in eGastroenterology analyzed data from systematic reviews and pooled-data analyses to estimate the extent to which H. pylori exposure contributes to the global burden of colorectal cancer.
The analysis revealed that individuals with H. pylori exposure had a 1.6 times greater risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to those without exposure. The researchers found that the estimated proportion of colorectal cancer cases associated with H. pylori exposure was highest in the Western Pacific region (25%), Mongolia (36%), and China (139,619 cases).
However, when limited to 14 population-based and cohort studies, the proportion decreased to 12%. When analyzing birth cohorts, the association was stronger for those born in more recent decades (1960s and 1970s), with the proportion rising from 9.5% for those born before 1947 to around 15% for those born in 1963-1977. Despite accumulating evidence, the role of H. pylori in colorectal cancer risk remains controversial.
The study highlights the need for well-designed randomized clinical trials and other prospective investigations to further evaluate the impact of H. pylori and its eradication on colorectal cancer risk, as well as potential modifying factors.
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