Epidemiology of liver cancer in South Korea

Abstract

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer (fourth in men and sixth in women) and the second largest cause of cancer mortality in South Korea. The crude incidence rate of liver cancer was 31.9/100,000 (47.5/100,000 in men and 16.2/100,000 in women) and the age-standardized incidence rate was 19.9/100,000 (32.4/100,000 in men and 8.8/100,000 in women) in 2014. The crude incidence rate increased from 1999 to 2011 and thereafter showed a subtle decreasing tendency. The crude prevalence rate was 113.6/100,000 (170.2/100,000 in men and 57.1/100,000 in women) and the age-standardized prevalence rate was 72.6/100,000 (115.7/100,000 in men and 33.7/100,000 in women) in 2014, which increased from 2010 to 2014. Survival from liver cancer has improved over the last two decades. The 5-year relative survival rate was markedly increased from 10.7% in those diagnosed with liver cancer between 1993 and 1995 to 32.8% in those diagnosed between 2010 and 2014. The epidemiology of liver cancer is influenced by that of underlying liver diseases such as viral hepatitis. Substantial progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis; however, uncontrolled alcoholic liver disease, obesity and diabetes appears to have the potential to emerge as major causes for liver cancer. Depending on the success of the control of risk factors, the epidemiology of liver cancer in Korea may change.

Changes in hepatitis B antibody status after chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

“…However, HBV infection is the most common etiologic factor for liver cancer in South Korea. 14 The prevalence of HBsAg positivity in the general population in South Korea was found to be 2.9% since 2013; this statistic has not changed significantly. 15 Since intense chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies such as ALL may induce secondary immunosuppression and lower the immunity against HBV, evaluation of HBsAb after chemotherapy has been an area of interest in survivors of ALL.…”

“…In South Korea, the overall prevalence of HBV infection, including that of children, has decreased after implementation of the national HBV vaccination program. However, HBV infection is the most common etiologic factor for liver cancer in South Korea . The prevalence of HBsAg positivity in the general population in South Korea was found to be 2.9% since 2013; this statistic has not changed significantly .…”

External validation of the modified PAGE‐B score in Asian chronic hepatitis B patients receiving antiviral therapy

“…240 million people globally and has still been the dominant aetiology of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in the Republic of Korea. [1][2][3][4] As persistently high level of HBV replication is associated with liver disease progression, such as development of cirrhosis and HCC, 5,6 replication-suppressing antiviral therapy is currently regarded as a mainstay of treatment. As a matter of fact, primarily owing to the introduction of oral nucleos(t)ide analogous (NUCs), the clinical outcomes of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has substantially improved within the past two decades, however, the risk of HCC development cannot be completely eliminated.…”

Sorafenib with or without concurrent transarterial chemoembolization in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: The phase III STAH trial

“…1 HCC prognosis remains poor because of the underlying chronic liver disease; late diagnosis, often at advanced stages of disease; and frequent recurrence/progression after treatment. 2,3 Because there is no global consensus on the definition of advanced HCC, it encompasses a heterogenous group, 4 generally indicated in cases with macrovascular invasion and extrahepatic spread or progression on curative treatments. In patients with advanced HCC, sorafenib, the first approved oral multityrosine kinase inhibitor, is the standard first-line therapy; [4][5][6][7][8][9] however, outcomes of most patients remain unsatisfactory.…”