Investigation of hepatocellular cancer epidemic in an island community, Korea
Monday, 18 August 2014
Exhibit hall (Dena'ina Center)
Sun-Seog Kweon, MD
,
Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Min-Ho Shin, MD
,
Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
Jin-Su Choi, MD
,
Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
Jung-Ae Rhee, MD
,
Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
Hye-Ran Ahn, MPH
,
Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Ik-Joo Chung, MD
,
Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
INTRODUCTION: South Korea has the highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. The high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection rather than hepatitis C virus (HCV) might play a dominant role in HCC development in Korea because of the low HCV seroprevalence, generally about 1%. HCC epidemic in an island community was detected, age‑standardised incidence with WHO population (/100,000) were 71.7 and 17.3, in men and women, respectively, between 1999 and 2008. Age‑standardised incidence ratios based on Korean national data were 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9–2.5) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.8–2.7) in men and womens, respectively, was noted. Our aim was to investigate the causal associations of the HCC epidemic in the study area.
METHODS: To identify the potential causality, we conducted epidemiologic surveys for the risk factors for HCC and hepatitis. Total of 2,153 and 1,887 randomly selected residents (age ≥19 years), living in study and control area, respectively, were participated on the investigation. Distribution of the risk factors in previous HCC cases were also compared.
RESULTS: We found an approximately four-fold higher HCV seroprevalence in the study area (5.1% vs. 1.4%). HBV seroprevalence was also higher in HCC epidemic area (5.1% vs. 3.1%). Significant differences in the exposure to acupuncture and tattoo between areas were identified
CONCLUSIONS: The excessive HCC burden in the study community may be caused by HCV epidemic and frequent exposure to acupuncture and tattoo might be associated with the HCV epidemic in this community. HCV epidemic confined in a community is rare because of its transmission mode.
