According to a story from dailyhealthneeds.com, long term, regular use of protein pump inihibitors (PPI) can majorly increase the risk of contracting stomach cancer. PPIs are commonly used to treat acid reflux problems and ulcers, but the more you use them, the greater the risk of developing stomach cancer becomes.
The increase in risk appears to magnify significantly depending on how frequently antacids are taken. In a person who takes PPIs on a daily basis, the risk was quadrupled compared to someone who took them on a weekly basis. A significant number of people who were successfully treated for stomach ulcers eventually developed stomach cancer. To read more about stomach cancer, click here.
Part of stomach ulcer treatment is the combination of protein pump inhibitors (PPI) and an antibiotic to eliminate the bacteria Helicobacter pylori from the stomach. This microbe has been implicated in causing ulcers and other stomach problems, including cancer. Eliminating the bacteria should reduce the risk, but an abnormal number of people were getting cancer anyway. This means that, in these cases, that the bacteria may not have been the major risk factor.
The study compared people after a triple treatment therapy of two antibiotics and a PPI. After treatment, the participants were monitored for several years, with some of them continuing to take PPIs while the rest took H2 blockers, which reduce acid levels in the stomach.
The results showed that the group that continued regular use of PPIs doubled their risk of developing stomach cancer.
People who used H2 blockers did not see their risk increase. In the study, people who developed stomach cancer were diagnosed in under five years after triple therapy.
H2 blockers have largely been superseded by PPIs in treating stomach issues, as they are generally more effective at alleviating symptoms; however, this new development may make H2 blockers a more relevant option again. The news is not good for PPIs; a year of regular use increases risk by fives times, two years increases risk by six times, and three or more years by eight times. Nevertheless, researchers emphasize that it was merely an observational study, and that more research must be done before conclusions can be made about cause and effect.
