A new analysis published in eGastroenterology suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), potentially accounting for up to 22% of cases globally. Researchers reviewed data from 43 studies and found that H. pylori exposure was associated with a 1.59-fold higher CRC risk. However, estimates fell to 11.9% when the analysis was restricted to 14 higher-quality population-based and cohort studies, highlighting substantial variation across studies.
The potential burden was highest in the Western Pacific region, where an estimated 25% of CRC cases were linked to H. pylori exposure. Mongolia had the highest country-level estimate, at 36%. Evidence that eradication reduces CRC risk remains limited: only four studies evaluated this relationship, with a reduction observed primarily after approximately 10 years. A study involving more than 800,000 US veterans found an absolute CRC risk reduction of 0.23%–0.35% following eradication.