A common bacterial infection might be more dangerous than we thought after new research shows Helicobacter pylori, a leading cause of ulcers and stomach cancers, possibly fueling a sizable percentage of colorectal cancer cases.

Scientists in Hong Kong estimated the potential global burden of colorectal cancer cases linked to H. pylori infection based on dozens of earlier studies. They found evidence that people with these infections are noticeably more likely to develop colorectal cancer, and that roughly one in every five of these cancers worldwide might be linked to the common stomach germ. Though more research is needed to untangle this connection, screening and treatment programs for H. pylori could make a substantial dent in the incidence of colorectal cancer, the researchers say.

“These findings may inform primary [colorectal cancer] prevention strategies, particularly in regions with high H. pylori prevalence and limited resources,” the authors wrote in their paper, published last month in the journal eGastroenterology.

H. pylori loves to call the human stomach home, and more than half of the world has had an infection of it at some point in their lives. Though it can cause miserable gastrointestinal infections, most people carrying it never show signs of acute illness. Chronic infections of H. pylori, however, can eventually cause ulcers that inflame and wear away the lining of the stomach.

Scientists have long known that chronic H. pylori and its accompanying ulcers can increase people’s risk of stomach cancer. The World Health Organization even lists the bacteria as one of 13 major infections that are carcinogenic.

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