How can H. pylori lead to stomach cancer?

Gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan, MD, explains how H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) can lead to stomach cancer. Learn more information on digestive disorders and gastrointestinal issues.

Transcript

00:00

Helicobacter pylori or H pylori, as we like to call it, is a bacteria that's very common. In fact, it infects more than 2/3 of the world's population.

00:08

The good news is that most people who are infected with H pylori don't have any symptoms. [LIGHT UPBEAT MUSIC]

00:22

What this bacteria does, it has a curved shape. And it burrows through the mucous lining of the stomach and sets up home inside that mucous lining of the stomach

00:30

and causes chronic inflammation. Over time, that defect in the mucous lining allows the stomach acid and other enzymes

00:38

to cause damage to the inner lining of the stomach. And that causes chronic inflammation. And the chronic inflammation can ultimately

00:45

lead to stomach cancer. The good news is that only a very, very small percentage of people who have H pylori infection

00:52

will ever develop stomach cancer. In people who have stomach ulcers, we always check to see if their H pylori positive.

01:00

And if they are, we treat them and eradicate the bacteria to prevent the ulcers from coming back. There is a blood test for H pylori.

01:07

There's a stool test. But the best way to find out if you have it is an upper endoscopy, where a biopsy is taken of the stomach tissue.

01:14

And we check for that. And in cases where people have stomach ulcers or stomach cancer, we pretty much always check

01:22

that way to see if you have H pylori. [LIGHT UPBEAT MUSIC]