Eradicating H. pylori reduces the incidence of gastric cancer in certain healthy individuals, according to a study published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Here are four key notes:
1. Researchers analyzed randomized controlled trials comparing at least one week of H. pylori therapy with placebo or no treatment in preventing development of gastric cancer.
2. Six trials met all the researchers' eligibility criteria and provided extractable data. Five trials were conducted in Asian populations.
3. In preventing development of subsequent gastric cancer, H. pylori eradication therapy was superior to placebo or no treatment.
4. The effect of H. pylori eradication on preventing death from gastric cancer compared with placebo or no treatment was uncertain due to wide confidence intervals.