Bowel cancer research links H. pylori to global cases and immunotherapy to successful outcomes

New research indicates that exposure to the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may be linked to approximately 22% of colorectal cancer cases globally. An international analysis of data from 48 million people, led by experts from the University of Hong Kong and the University of California San Diego, found that H. pylori exposure was associated with a 1.59 times higher risk of developing the disease. While the bacterium is a known cause of stomach cancer, its connection to bowel cancer has been a subject of debate. The study suggests that eradicating the infection with antibiotics might reduce cancer risk, though benefits may only appear after roughly 10 years.

In a separate development regarding treatment, results from the NEOPRISM-CRC clinical trial led by researchers at UCL and UCLH show that preoperative immunotherapy may offer significant benefits for certain bowel cancer patients. In the study, patients with stage 2 or stage 3 cancer received a nine-week course of pembrolizumab before surgery. After 33 months of follow-up, none of the patients in the study experienced a cancer recurrence. Researchers are also developing personalized blood tests to help predict treatment response and detect remaining cancer cells in the bloodstream.