In 1994, H. pylori was declared by the International Center for Research on Carcinogenic Cancer Type I, associated with a certain participation of this microorganism in the occurrence of gastric cancers in humans. But this statement was not accompanied by any therapeutic recommendation, which left many controversial points in the treatment of this disease. A little clarity was introduced by the European Conference, after which it was recommended to conduct a study on helicobacteriosis only for people with gastric cancer factors (precancerous conditions, treatment of gastric cancer, inheritance worse), and therapy should only be done if the screening test is positive. There is no consensus in the United States, where the National Institute of Health, in 1994, recommended "to conduct therapy according to individual preferences".

For a period of 7.5 years (1994 to 2002), a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study of 1,630 healthy Chinese people from Fujian Province infected with H. pylori was conducted. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of gastric cancer after eradication treatment. For this, patients in the main group received a two-week course of treatment with omeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin / clavulanate 750 mg and metronidazole 400 mg twice a day. The control group received a placebo. The results of the therapy are presented in the table and show a successful eradication of H. pylori in 84% of the cases, and in 8% of the cases, the spontaneous disappearance of the microorganism. During the study, 18 cases of stomach cancer were identified - 7 in the control group and 11 in the placebo group. The difference between the groups was not statistically significant (the incidence of gastric cancer was 0.9% in the main group and 1.4% in the control group, and the risk of developing cancer decreased by 37% compared to the incidence of gastric cancer in the placebo group).

Perhaps this study was terminated prematurely because "it has reached the maximum potential expected". But the authors plan to continue monitoring the patients.

It should also be noted that as a result of this study, it was found that the highest risk factor for developing stomach cancer is smoking (the risk of developing 6.2), and the most useful was to eat canned vegetables at least twice a week (risk of developing stomach cancer was only 0.3).

Based on the analysis of this study, the authors concluded that the occurrence of gastric cancer in patients infected with H. pylori does not depend on the eradication of the microorganism.