The Role of H. Pylori in Stomach Cancer: What You Need to Know

oncare team
Updated on Apr 23, 2025 17:25 IST

By Raveena M Prakash

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the world. According to WHO, gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and fourth most lethal malignancy globally, which is the leading cause of deaths. Whether you or any of your loved ones are diagnosed with stomach tumors caused by H. pylori bacterial infection, then read on!

If your oncologist has told you that you are diagnosed with an H. pylori infection that caused the cancer in your body and your oncologist has recommended an H. pylori infection treatment for your gastric cancer, then this blog is for you! Helicobacter pylori infection is a major risk factor for developing stomach tumors or cancer; this is widely known as gastric adenocarcinoma. It’s a deadly type of cancer that develops in the stomach’s lining, specifically in the mucus-producing cells. 

In this article, we’ll explore more about H. pylori infection and how H. pylori leads to stomach cancer, symptoms, prevention, risk, survival rate, and much more!

What is H.pylori infection?

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium that grows inside the mucus layer that coats the inside of the stomach. The H. pylori inflammation occurs when the bacteria infect your stomach. Usually this infection happens during childhood. 

One of the common causes of stomach ulcers, also known as peptic ulcers, H. pylori infection, has been present in more than half of the population in the world. Many people who have been infected with H. pylori might not see any symptoms. Only a few will recognize the symptoms.

Symptoms of H.pylori infection

People with H. pylori infection fail to recognize they have an infection until it reaches advanced stages of cancer in the stomach, because in most people it won’t show any signs or symptoms. The symptoms of H. pylori inflammation are commonly related to gastritis or peptic ulcers.

Here are some signs or symptoms. 

  • Stomach pain: An ache or burning pain in the abdomen, which gets worse when your stomach is empty.
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Frequent burping
  • Bloating
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Indigestion

How does H. pylori infection lead to stomach cancer?

H. pylori inflammation is one of the major risk factors of gastric cancer. The chronic infection of H. pylori bacteria causes prolonged inflammation in the stomach. This condition is known as non-atrophic gastritis. This inflammation can often lead to several health conditions such as atrophic gastritis. In this condition, the thinning of the stomach lining will happen, which results from long-term inflammation from H. pylori bacteria. This condition will often lead to different types of gastric cancer. The common cancer associated with H. pylori is gastric adenocarcinoma; another type of cancer is gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. 

In 1994, the IARC, a part of WHO, classified H. pylori as a human carcinogen, or strong cancer-causing agent, which primarily causes gastric cancer. The pylori inflammation is majorly linked to the development of gastric cancer. Apart from that, there are several studies suggesting that H. pylori infection will increase the risk of getting pancreatic cancer, and there is some evidence suggesting that there is also a link between H. pylori bacterial infection and the increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Types of gastric cancers associated with H. pylori

Gastric adenocarcinoma: This is a common gastric cancer, and the major risk factor for developing this cancer is H. pylori inflammation.

Gastric Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT) Lymphoma: This is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma also associated with chronic inflammation of H. pylori.

What is stomach cancer?

Stomach cancer, widely known as gastric adenocarcinoma, is the growth of cells that starts from the stomach. These cancers can happen in any part of the stomach. In the majority of the cases, cancers happen in the main part of the stomach. This part of the stomach is called the stomach body.

The treatment of gastric cancer mainly depends on where the cancer grows in the stomach, the cancer’s stage, and what type of cells are involved. The stomach cancer treatment often includes surgery to remove the cancerous part in the stomach. There are some treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, that might be used before and after the surgery. 

Most of the stomach tumor surgeries are successful if the cancer growth is only inside the stomach. Cancer that grows through the stomach wall and eventually spreads to other parts of the body is known as metastatic stomach cancer, which is often hard to cure. There are times when the cancer gets advanced and the growth of cancer reaches the final stage, and then the chance of survival is very low.

Symptoms of stomach cancer?

These are some of the signs and symptoms of gastric cancer.

These may include:

  • Trouble swallowing foods
  • Feeling bloated after eating
  • Feeling fullness after eating small portions of food
  • Heartburn
  • Indigestion
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Losing weight without trying
  • Tiredness
  • Stools that look black

Types of stomach cancer

There are four main types of cancers developed in the stomach. These cancers are often named after the cell type in which the cancer develops first. 

These may include:

  • Gastric adenocarcinoma: This gastric cancer starts in the glandular cells that line the inner layer of the stomach wall, also known as the mucosa. This is one of the most common cancers among stomach tumors. 
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST): These are rare types of cancer that often start in the connective tissue or interstitial in the stomach wall. 
  • Lymphoma: This is also a rare cancer impact in the lymph system, which is often connected to the stomach wall.
  • Carcinoid tumors: It's another rare cancer that starts in the hormone-making cells of the stomach.

Stomach Cancer Stages

The cancer stage often describes the extent and growth of cancer and the size of the tumor inside of the stomach. The staging will help to identify whether the cancer has spread or not and where the tumor started. Identifying the cancer stage is crucial for the treatment and quick recovery.

Stomach cancer staging typically uses the TNM staging system. The staging is often mentioned in your pathology report. This is based on your TNM results, the cancer staging often written as (1, 2, 3, 4), which is assigned to your cancer.

Other risk factors of stomach cancer

One of the serious risk factors for developing gastric cancer is H. pylori. But there are some other risk factors that often increase the risk of cancer in the stomach. Risk factors can often include age, infection, overweight, and smoking habits. 

These may include:

  • Age and gender
  • Smoking
  • Obesity or overweight
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Hereditary factors
  • Unbalanced diet
  • Chemical exposures

Treatments

The treatment plan for gastric cancer developed from H. pylori infection will depend upon the individual medical conditions and the patient's overall health. The treatment will start after you select the right doctor, which includes the specialist oncologist and gastrointestinal specialist.

Surgery

Surgeries are performed after careful examination of cancer growth; the oncologist might recommend removing precancerous cells, tumors, or some part of your stomach. 

  • Upper endoscopy: In the early stages of cancer, which is limited to the stomach's uppermost layers, the cancer will get removed using an upper endoscopy procedure. In this procedure, a gastroenterologist cuts the tumor from the stomach wall, and it will be further removed through your mouth. 
  • Gastrectomy: This procedure is performed when the tumor has spread beyond your stomach’s superficial layer, which requires removing part of your stomach. There are two types.
  1. Subtotal gastrectomy removes only the affected part of your stomach. 
  2. Total gastrectomy removes the entire stomach.

Other treatments

  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation therapy
  • Immunization Therapy
  • Targeted Therapy

How to prevent stomach cancer?

Stomach tumors or cancer can’t be prevented, but if you think you are at high risk, then you can modify your lifestyle and other factors, which will eventually reduce the risk and reduce the chance of developing gastric cancer with some treatments. 

  • Providing treatment if you have been diagnosed with an H. pylori infection
  • Provide timely treatment for ulcers, gastritis, or other stomach-related concerns:
  • Avoid smoking.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Follow a nutritional diet.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption

Consult Today

H. pylori infection plays a huge role in developing cancer in the stomach, mainly through chronic inflammation of the bacteria, which further leads to the disruption of the stomach lining. Most of the gastric cancer cases often seen have a link with H. pylori infection, while everyone with H. pylori infection does not develop cancer in the stomach. The risk increases with long-term infection, along with other risk factors such as age, gender, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits. 

Early detection of H. pylori infection, treating peptic ulcers on time, and regular checkups and screenings will help you significantly reduce the risk of developing gastric cancer. If you have been diagnosed with H. pylori, then undergoing treatments and practicing preventive measures like changing your lifestyle, following a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol consumption, and avoiding smoking will reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer.

At Oncare Cancer Center, we specialize in advanced screening, diagnosis, and personalized cancer treatments. If you are experiencing abdominal pain, weight loss, and loss of appetite, don’t wait: call us and book your appointment today. 

Visit our official website to know more about cancer and advanced treatments! Get more details about the estimated cost of your treatments. Take charge of your health and get a specialist consultation now!

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