Overview
- The IARC projects that individuals born between 2008 and 2017 will face about 15.6 million lifetime stomach cancer cases worldwide if no preventive measures are taken.
- In Germany, roughly 96,000 cases are predicted for those cohorts, of which about 61,500 could be averted through antibiotic and proton-pump inhibitor therapy.
- About three-quarters of global stomach cancer cases are attributable to Helicobacter pylori infections and would be preventable with existing eradication treatments.
- More than two-thirds of projected cases will occur in Asia, while the Americas, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa are expected to shoulder 13%, 8% and 11% of the burden, respectively, driven by rising life expectancy.
- Researchers stress the urgency of rolling out recommended H. pylori screening programs and fast-tracking vaccine trials to curb the forecasted rise.