Wrocław/ Free screening tests for stomach cancer prevention

The University Clinical Hospital has expanded recruitment for stomach cancer screening tests. All residents of Wrocław and the surrounding area, aged 30 to 35, can participate. The tests are non-invasive and free.

The TOGAS ("Towards Gastric Cancer Screening Implementation in the EU") study is a non-invasive diagnostic test. Doctors draw blood to measure IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori, and those with antibodies undergo a breath test to confirm active infection.

Then, those with confirmed infection are offered eradication therapy, which aims to completely eliminate the bacteria from the body. The therapy lasts 10 to 14 days and involves the use of antibiotics and medications that reduce gastric acid secretion.

Doctors from the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław and the Medical University argue that in most cases, to eliminate the risk of cancer, it is enough to undergo such treatment once in a lifetime.

"Patients receive a result that clearly determines whether they are infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. This infection is usually asymptomatic, so without testing, we can't be sure. We know it's an oncogene, meaning it's a factor in stomach cancer, a cancer that still has a poor prognosis," explains Dr. Katarzyna Neubauer, head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Internal Medicine at the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław.

After completing treatment, participants are invited to undergo a follow-up breath test to confirm that the infection has been eliminated. Participation in the study is free.

Eligible for the program are people aged 30–35, living in Wrocław or the Wrocław district, who have not been previously treated for Helicobacter pylori infection and have not undergone stomach removal surgery.

"Beyond the personal benefits for each participant, the TOGAS program has significant epidemiological significance. This study will help determine the scale of Helicobacter pylori infections in our population," notes Dr. Radosław Kempiński from the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Internal Medicine at the Medical University of Wrocław.

In the 1990s, it was estimated that Helicobacter pylori infection affected approximately 60% of Poles. Current medical estimates suggest this percentage is much lower, reaching no more than 20–30%. Medical experts say this is due to improved hygiene in recent decades, which has a significant impact on infections.

Stomach cancer is one of the most insidious cancers – approximately 4,000 people die from it in Poland every year.

The TOGAS project is being implemented as part of the EU4Health program by an international consortium which, in addition to the Medical University of Wrocław, includes research centers from Germany, France, Croatia, Latvia, Romania and Ireland. (PAP)

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