Population-Based Helicobacter pylori Screen-and-Treat Strategies for Gastric Cancer Prevention: An Interpretation of WHO–IARC 2025 Gastric Cancer Working Group Report

Gastric cancer remains a significant public health challenge globally, posing a severe threat to human health. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the key to the primary prevention of gastric cancer. In April 2025, the World Health Organization-International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO-IARC) released the Gastric Cancer Working Group Report. The report systematically details essential components for implementation of the population-based H. pylori screen-and-treat strategies, encompassing assessment of needs and readiness, selection of detection methods and treatment regimens, antibiotic stewardship, improvement of quality and equity, and optimization of cost-benefits, with the goal of providing scientific guidance for global gastric cancer prevention efforts. This article presents a comprehensive review and in-depth analysis of the WHO-IARC report. By considering the current landscape of gastric cancer prevention and control in China, this article explores the report's implications for developing and implementing more cost-effective, localized, population-based H. pylori screen-and-treat strategies tailored to the Chinese context.