BMJ Blasts . . . After 22 years of follow-up, Chinese scholars have found that eating garlic for a long time can reduce the death rate from stomach cancer.

In 2018, it is estimated that almost half of all deaths from stomach cancer, the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, will occur in China.
Linyi County, shandong Province in northeastern China, has one of the highest rates of stomach cancer deaths in the world, with 55 deaths per 100,000 people and 19 deaths per 100,000 people between 1980 and 19 19 years.
epidemiological studies have strong evidence linking Helicobacter pylori infection to the development of precancerian lesions and stomach cancer, and suggest that diets rich in vitamins and garlic can prevent stomach cancer in high-risk populations with insufficient vitamin intake.
1995, intervention trials were conducted in Linyi County, Shandong Province, to assess the impact of three interventions on the prevention of advances in precancerian gastric cancer: interventions including helicobacter pylori treatment for two weeks and vitamin and garlic supplement therapy for more than seven years.
follow-up for nearly 15 years (1995-2010), the trial reported a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of gastric cancer, but no statistical decrease in gastric cancer mortality associated with the treatment of Helicobacter pylori.
Although shandong intervention trials have shown that Helicobacter pylori therapy has a potential role in the prevention of stomach cancer, further follow-up is needed to determine whether it will lead to a significant reduction in gastric cancer mortality over a longer period of time.
long run, it remains unknown whether vitamin and garlic supplements are statistically associated with a significant reduction in stomach cancer morbidity and mortality.
, the researchers extended the follow-up period to more than 22 years to determine the incidence and mortality of stomach cancer.
the study recruited 3,365 residents in high-risk areas of stomach cancer, of whom 1,107 helicobacter pylori antibody-negative residents were randomly assigned to vitamin supplements, garlic supplements, or placebo groups.
2,258 Helicobacter pylori-positive residents were randomly assigned to the Helicobacter pylori treatment group (amoxicillin and omeprazole for 2 weeks), the vitamin supplement group (VYC, E and selenium, lasted 7.3 years), the garlic supplement group (garlic extract and oil, lasted 7.3 years) or the placebo group.
follow-up over a 22-year (1995-2017) follow-up, 151 cases of stomach cancer and 94 deaths from stomach cancer were identified.
incidence of vitamin supplements decreased significantly, while garlic supplements did not.
all three interventions showed significant reductions in stomach cancer mortality: a fully adjusted risk ratio of 0.62 for Helicobacter pylori treatment, 0.48 for vitamin supplementation and 0.66 for garlic supplementation.
found no statistically significant correlation between interventions and other cancers or cardiovascular diseases.
In summary, follow-up for 22 years found that two weeks of helicobacter pylori treatment, seven years of vitamin or garlic supplementation and a significant reduction in the risk of death from stomach cancer;
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