Rewriting the Textbooks: New Study Uncovers Previously Unknown Bacterium Linked to Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth most prevalent cancer globally and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) stands as the primary risk factor for GC and has been classified as a Group I carcinogen. H. pylori infection promotes gastric inflammation, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia (IM). However, only a small percentage (1%-3%) of individuals infected with H. pylori ultimately progress to GC, suggesting the involvement of additional factors. Recent evidence indicates the presence of a diverse non-H. pylori microbiota in the gastric mucosa, potentially playing a role in gastric cancer development. Nevertheless, the identification and characterization of non-H. pylori bacteria associated with GC remain largely unexplored.