Prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma by universal vaccination against hepatitis B virus: the effect and problems.
OBJECTIVE
In spite of the success of hepatitis B immunization, still a significant proportion of childhood hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) failed to be prevented by the hepatitis B immunization program. This study is aimed to investigate the problems in the HCC prevention in children.


METHODS
All HCC children ages 6 to 14 diagnosed between 1981 and 2000 in Taiwan were collected from two national childhood HCC registry systems. We analyzed the causes of HCC prevention failure and the risk ratio of HCC among hepatitis B carriers born before versus after the vaccination program.


RESULTS
The incidence of HCC per 100,000 children declined from 0.54 to 0.20 in those born before versus after the vaccination program (risk ratio, 0.36). Vaccine failure (33.3-51.4%) and failure to receive hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth (42.4-57.5%) were the main causes of HCC prevention failure. Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus infection is an important risk factor of HCC development. This is evidenced by the very high hepatitis B surface antigen seropositive rate in our HCC children (97%) and their mothers (96%). Hepatitis B carrier children born after the vaccination program had a higher risk of developing HCC than those born before the program (risk ratio, 2.3-4.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Vaccine failure and failure to receive hepatitis B immunoglobulin are the main problems preventing eradication of HCC. Hepatitis B carrier children born after the immunization program have a higher risk of developing HCC than those born before.
Chang
Mei-Hwei
MH
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital. mhchang@ha.mc.ntu.edu
Chen
Tony Hsiu-Hsi
TH
Hsu
Hsu-Mei
HM
Wu
Tzee-Chung
TC
Kong
Man-Shan
MS
Liang
Der-Cherng
DC
Ni
Yen-Hsuan
YH
Chen
Chien-Jen
CJ
Chen
Ding-Shinn
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000737:chemistry*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000473:pathology; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007136:Immunoglobulins