HAMILTON, Ontario, July 22 (UPI) -- Eliminating the relatively common ulcer-causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori from people's stomachs may help to lower the risk of stomach cancer.
Using a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors, or another drug that reduces the production of gastric acid, for one to two weeks, researchers said the bacteria can be eradicated. H. pylori is present in the stomachs of about two-thirds of people, however most people never feel any symptoms.
"The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis add to the increasing evidence that eradicating H. pylori in the general population has the potential to prevent gastric cancer. International guidelines for the management of H. pylori infection may change as a result," said Paul Moayyedi, of McMaster University, in a press release. "More research is needed on the extent of this effect and on any potential harms of H. pylori treatment before it can be advocated as a means of preventing gastric cancer."
Reserachers analyzed data from six studies that covered a total 6,500 participants in Colombia, China and Japan. The studies all used a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors, showing that 1.6 percent of participants given the treatment developed stomach cancer while 2.4 percent of those who received a placebo or nothing developed the disease.
While a difference was shown, the researchers cautioned that the incidence of cancer in the study was low and that evidence was insufficient for showing whether eliminating H. pylori definitely lowered cancer rates.
"The review highlights the need for further trials in different populations to provide more evidence, and these should report both the benefits and harms of such an approach," said Alex Ford, of St. James's University Hospital and Leeds University.
The study is published in The Cochran Library.
