Long-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use Not Linked to Gastric Adenocarcinoma

FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use seems not to be associated with an increased risk for gastric adenocarcinoma, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in The BMJ.

Onyinyechi Duru, from Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, and colleagues conducted a population-based case-control study using prospectively collected data from multiple complete nationwide registries in five Nordic nations to examine whether long-term PPI use is associated with an increased risk for gastric adenocarcinoma. Case patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were matched for age, sex, calendar year, and country with 10 controls, randomly identified from each country”s entire population.

The analyses included 17,232 cases of gastric (noncardia) adenocarcinoma and 172,297 controls. The researchers found that long-term PPI use occurred in 10.2 and 9.5 percent of cases and controls, respectively. There was no association observed between long-term PPI use and gastric adenocarcinoma. For histamine-2-receptor antagonist use, a similar lack of association was seen. Multiple sources of error were identified that led to a false association, including inclusion of PPI use shortly before gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosis, short-term PPI use, cardia adenocarcinoma, and lack of adjustment for variables related to Helicobacter pylori.

“The finding of no association may offer relief for patients who need long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease or for other clear indications,” the authors write.

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