Helicobacter pylori - the leading cause of stomach cancer

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Tran Quoc Tuan - Emergency Resuscitation Doctor - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital
Up to 70% of Vietnamese people are infected with HP. This is the main cause of stomach and duodenal ulcers, which can lead to stomach cancer.

1. What is Helicobacter pylori?

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that lives in the protective mucus layer of the stomach lining. In order to weaken the protective mucus layer of the stomach, the HP bacteria secreted substances that stimulate the stomach to produce more acid, and at the same time produce some toxins that damage the cells below the mucus layer. This impact makes the gastric mucosa easily eroded by the acid in the digestive juices of the stomach, thereby causing peptic ulcer disease.
HP bacteria are mainly spread through eating, saliva, feces, digestive fluids in families with common eating habits. The infection process occurs when using unsafe food or drinking water, containing bacteria.

2. Is a positive HP test dangerous?

According to some statistics, in Hanoi, for every 1,000 people, 700 people are infected with HP. In Ho Chi Minh City, 90% of people with gastritis are related to this bacteria. So is HP bacteria dangerous or dangerous?
Helicobacter pylori is a risk factor for stomach cancer. Whether HP infection will turn to stomach cancer or not depends on many other factors such as each person's location, diet and bacterial toxicity. Just like smoking and drinking alcohol increase the risk of stomach cancer, especially for cancers in the upper stomach near the esophagus. According to statistics, the rate of stomach cancer doubles in smokers, the rate also increases markedly in people over 50 years old.
Helicobacter pylori is considered by the International Cancer Organization as the number one culprit for stomach cancer and recommends that not having HP will reduce stomach cancer. It is necessary to confirm that HP bacteria is one of the causes of stomach cancer, not every HP bacteria has stomach cancer.

3. How to prevent HP

If someone in the family has stomach disease caused by HP bacteria, they should be isolated, do not share food.
Practice personal hygiene by washing hands thoroughly before eating and after using the toilet. People with peptic ulcer disease need: Eat scientifically, should not eat too full, should not be too hungry. Exercise regularly. Avoid stress. Get enough sleep. Avoid eating too hot, too cold, avoid eating foods that are difficult to digest or too hard as well as foods with too high acidity, ... Avoid alcohol. Not all cases of HP infection require treatment, whether or not HP treatment is needed should be examined, consulted and decided by a gastroenterologist to avoid unnecessary costs.

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