Population attributable fraction of infection-related cancers in Korea.
BACKGROUND
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.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
Up to one-quarter of cancer cases and deaths would be preventable through appropriate control of infectious agents in Korea.
Cancer Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Management.
A
A
Shin
Cancer Registration and Statistics Branch, Division of Cancer Registration and Surveillance, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Korea.
S
S
Park
Cancer Registration and Statistics Branch, Division of Cancer Registration and Surveillance, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Korea; Data Analysis and Interpretation Group, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Cluster, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. Electronic address: shinhr@iarc.fr.
H R
HR
Shin
Cancer Registration and Statistics Branch, Division of Cancer Registration and Surveillance, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Korea.
E-H
EH
Park
Department of Preventive Medicine; Cancer Research Institute; Institute of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul.
S K
SK
Park
Cancer Risk Appraisal and Prevention Branch, National Cancer Information Center, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si.
J-K
JK
Oh
Cancer Risk Appraisal and Prevention Branch, National Cancer Information Center, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si.
M-K
MK
Lim
Department of Preventive Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
B Y
BY
Choi
Data Analysis and Interpretation Group, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Cluster, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
M
M
Boniol
Data Analysis and Interpretation Group, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Cluster, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
P
P
Boffetta
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012306:Risk; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology