Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), previously known as Campylobacter pylori, is a common bacterial infection that lives in the stomach and affects about 40%-60% of people in India, said experts at the ongoing World Congress of Gastroenterology (WCOG) 2026 in New Delhi.
Stomach or gastric cancer ranks as the seventh most common cancer in India, accounting for roughly 4.6% of all new cancer cases.
H. pylori is considered one of the important causes of gastric or stomach cancer. A recent Lancet study found that five infections, including H. pylori and HPV, contribute to about one in eight cancers worldwide. H. pylori was linked to around 760,000 cancer cases, accounting for 4% of all cancers diagnosed that year.
Does H. Pylori Infection Mean Cancer Risk?
Also read: 2.3 Million Cancer Cases Worldwide Linked to Viral, Bacterial Infections: Lancet Oncology Study
The mere presence of H. pylori does not mean a person will develop stomach cancer.
“Very few, very few will develop it,” Dr Pramod Kumar Garg, Professor and Head, Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition Unit, AIIMS New Delhi, told Times Now.
“It has been shown that H. pylori infection can cause swelling in the stomach, can cause an ulcer in the stomach and in some cases may also cause gastric or stomach cancer. It has been classified as a carcinogen,” Dr Garg said.
“However, there are many variables which affect the development of cancer because of the H. pylori infection. So, it is not that anybody who is infected with this will develop cancer. This is very, very important for people to understand; otherwise, there will be a lot of scare,” he added.
Should Everyone With H. Pylori Be Treated?
Dr Garg said the bacteria is tested for and treated in some countries. “We are not advocating routine testing and treating because the other factors which lead to cancer are not fully known in that case,” he said.
The expert stated that In India, treatment is extended to people who have symptoms and test positive for H. pylori, which is considered one of the important causes of gastric or stomach cancer.
India’s Changing Digestive Disease Burden
Read More: From Curd to Pickles: 8 Traditional Indian Foods That Could Boost Your Gut Health
H. Pylori is one part of A changing GI disease burden. Speaking at a media roundtable, experts highlighted that the global burden of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases is changing, with infections such as H. pylori and parasitic diseases existing alongside metabolic and lifestyle-related conditions.
Dr Govind Makharia, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition Unit, AIIMS New Delhi, stated that “the GI disease burden is changing in both its scale and clinical profile. Alongside infections such as H. pylori and parasitic diseases, metabolic and lifestyle-related conditions are becoming increasingly important”.
He stressed the importance of timely diagnosis for conditions including liver disease, colorectal cancer, celiac disease and IBD.
The experts also discussed colorectal cancer, MASLD and liver disease. They stressed the need to strengthen screening, risk stratification, newer pharmacological approaches and identification of patients at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
“Gastrointestinal diseases may present differently across populations, but many of the challenges are shared. Earlier diagnosis, access to evidence-based treatment and stronger prevention strategies remain important priorities,” said Professor Carolina Olano, Professor and Director, Department of Gastroenterology, Universidad de la República, Uruguay, and President, World Gastroenterology Organisation.
WCOG 2026 In India
Held in India for the first time, the four-day WCOG congress brings together around 3,000 delegates from 61 countries to discuss the changing burden of gastrointestinal and liver diseases, early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
The four-day congress is jointly organized by the Indian Society of Gastroenterology and the World Gastroenterology Organization under the theme “Transforming Gastrointestinal Health, Preserving Nature.”