More than 2,000 people die of stomach cancer every year in Taiwan, and as Helicobacter pylori infection is a strong risk factor, people should avoid sharing food and utensils, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said.
Stomach cancer is the eighth-most common and deadliest cancer in Taiwan.
More than 4,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer every year, while more than 2,000 people with it die, data shows.
Photo: CNA
H. pylori is a major risk factor for stomach cancer, as it is linked to 80 to 90 percent of stomach cancer cases, the HPA said in a statement.
Maintaining good lifestyle habits and reducing the risk of H. pylori infection could greatly decrease the risk of developing stomach cancer, it said.
The risk of stomach cancer in people with H. pylori infection is about six to 10 times higher than others, and the WHO in 1994 classified H. pylori as a Group 1 carcinogen, it said.
H. pylori could cause chronic gastritis and ulcers, and long-term inflammation of the stomach lining could lead to the destruction of gastric glands and gastric mucosal atrophy, resulting in the precancerous condition of gastric intestinal metaplasia and eventually stomach cancer, it said.
H. pylori is mainly transmitted from person to person through the fecal-oral route, but it could also be transmitted through saliva, it said, adding that sharing food and utensils, and drinking from the same cup with someone infected could increase infection risk.
People could take a C-13 urea breath test, H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test, or a gastroscopy to check whether they are infected, it said.
The agency in August last year said it launched a trial program in nine administrative regions offering a free HpSA test to people aged 45 to 74.
The program has been expanded to 17 administrative regions this year, so people who would like to get the test can ask a local health facility about its availability, it said.
HPA Director-General Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍) said people should protect their gut health by eating healthy food, practicing good hygiene, doing exercise regularly, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, and seeing a doctor if they develop gastrointestinal symptoms.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS