Should we pay more attention to the potential link between Helicobacter pylori and esophageal cancer in Asian countries.

Abstract

The presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been indicated to have a protective influence on esophageal cancer (EC) in some studies, but its specific impact on the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma remains inconclusive. This manuscript comment addresses the recent study by López-Gómez et al. Despite it was a retrospective observational study without a control group, this study revealed a notably low prevalence of H. pylori infection among EC patients, indicating a potential association between H. pylori and EC in Spain. It is important to note that the relationship between H. pylori and the risk of EC varies geographically. We also conducted a meta-analysis focusing on this association in Asian populations to offer precise clinical insights. However, no significant correlation between H. pylori infection and EC was identified, suggesting that the perceived protective effect of H. pylori against EC may have been overestimated in the Asian population.