HKU Study Links H. pylori to Over One-Fifth of Global Colorectal Cancer Cases
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 8 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death globally. In 2022, approximately 2 million new colorectal cancer cases and 900,000 related deaths were recorded worldwide, highlighting an urgent need to identify modifiable risk factors to reduce this burden. While H. pylori has long been recognized as a cause of gastric cancer, its relationship with colorectal cancer had remained unclear until now.
Key Points
- The study was conducted by HKU's Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and UC San Diego, published in eGastroenterology on September 28, 2026
- Researchers analyzed 43 international studies covering approximately 48.7 million people globally, combining infection rate estimates with GLOBOCAN 2022 data
- H. pylori infected individuals have a 1.59-fold higher risk of colorectal cancer compared to uninfected individuals
- An estimated 22% of global colorectal cancer cases may be associated with H. pylori infection; even when narrowed to 14 population-based studies, the figure remains at approximately 12%
- The Western Pacific region, including China, Mongolia, and Vietnam, shows the highest estimated proportion at around 25%; China records the most cases globally
- The proportion linked to H. pylori increased from 9.5% for those born before 1947 to 15% for those born between 1963 and 1977
- Professor Leung Wai-keung, Professor of Medicine at HKU, noted that H. pylori is both detectable and treatable, unlike many hereditary cancer risk factors
Why It Matters
The findings suggest that existing population-based H. pylori screening and eradication programs, primarily aimed at preventing gastric cancer, may offer dual cancer prevention benefits by also reducing colorectal cancer risk . This is particularly significant for regions with high H. pylori infection rates and limited healthcare resources, as it provides a cost-effective strategy for addressing multiple cancers simultaneously .
The findings suggest that existing population-based H. pylori screening and eradication programs, primarily aimed at preventing gastric cancer, may offer dual cancer prevention benefits by also reducing colorectal cancer risk . This is particularly significant for regions with high H. pylori infection rates and limited healthcare resources, as it provides a cost-effective strategy for addressing multiple cancers simultaneously .