Population attributable fraction of infection-related cancers in Korea

• Published in: Annals of oncology Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 1435 - 1442
• Main Authors: Shin, A., Park, S., Shin, H.R., Park, E.-H., Park, S.K., Oh, J.-K., Lim, M.-K., Choi, B.Y., Boniol, M., Boffetta, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2011; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic agents; Bacterial Infections - complications; Bacterial Infections - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; cancer burden; Female; Helicobacter pylori; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis B virus; Humans; infection; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - microbiology; Papillomavirus Infections - pathology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; population attributable fraction; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Risk; Virus Diseases - complications; Virus Diseases - epidemiology; Asia; Korea; Republic of Korea; infection; cancer burden; population attributable fraction; Human; Infection; Malignant tumor; Cancer
• ISSN: 0923-7534; 1569-8041
• DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdq592

A number of infectious agents have been classified as human carcinogens. The purpose of the current study was to provide an evidence-based assessment of the burden of infection-related cancers in the Korean population.
The population attributable fraction was calculated using infection prevalence data from 1990 or earlier, relative risk estimates from meta-analyses using mainly Korean studies and national data on cancer incidence and mortality for the year 2007.
The fractions of all cancers attributable to infection were 25.1% and 16.8% for cancer incidence in men and women, and 25.8% and 22.7% of cancer mortality in men and women, respectively. Among infection-related cancers, Helicobacter pylori was responsible for 56.5% of cases and 45.1% of deaths, followed by hepatitis B virus (HBV) (23.9% of cases and 37.5% of deaths) and human papillomavirus (HPV) (11.3% of cases and 6% of deaths) and then by hepatitis C virus (HCV) (6% of cases and 9% of deaths). Over 97% of infection-related cancers were attributable to infection with H. pylori, HBV, HCV and HPV.
Up to one-quarter of cancer cases and deaths would be preventable through appropriate control of infectious agents in Korea.