Meta-analysis: Can Helicobacter pylori Eradication Treatment Reduce the Risk for Gastric Cancer?

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with an increased risk for gastric cancer. Fuccio and coworkers reviewed 7 randomized trials that compared eradication treatment withno treatment in H. pylori–positive patients and assessed subsequent gastric cancer or progression of preneoplastic lesions. Overall, 37 of 3388 (1.1%) treated patients developed gastric cancer compared with 56 of 3307 (1.7%) untreated control participants. In a pooled analysis of 6 studies, the relative risk for gastric cancer was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.98). Helicobacter pylori eradication seems to reduce gastric cancer risk.