Incidence trends of human papillomavirus-related head and neck cancer in Taiwan, 1995-2009.
Recent studies suggested that human papillomavirus (HPV) is an emerging risk factor of head and neck cancer (HNC), particularly for oropharyngeal cancer. Studies from the West showed a rising trend of HPV-related HNC despite a decrease of the overall HNC incidence. In contrast, the overall HNC incidence in Taiwan has continued to rise. It is not clear whether the incidence trends of HPV-related HNC in Taiwan have a similar pattern to those from countries with an overall decreasing incidence of HNC. This study examined the incidence trends of HPV-related and HPV-unrelated HNC in Taiwan using data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. Our results showed that the incidence trends of HPV-related and HPV-unrelated HNC in Taiwan both rose during 1995-2009. The incidence of HPV-related HNC (1.3 per 100,000 in 1995 to 3.3 in 2009, annual percentage change (APC) = 6.9, p < 0.0001) rose more rapidly than the incidence of HPV-unrelated HNC (10.4 per 100,000 in 1995 to 21.7 in 2009, APC = 5.0, p < 0.0001). The rising trend of HPV-related HNC was particularly prominent for HNC occurring in tonsil (APC = 8.2, p < 0.0001), in men (APC = 7.5, p < 0.0001), and in those aged between 40 and 50 years (APC = 8.5, p < 0.0001). Although the overall incidence of HNC in Taiwan has continued to increase, the most rapid rise is in the HPV-related HNC. This suggests that similar to the Western world, HPV-related HNC is becoming an important public health issue in Taiwan.
Department of Otolaryngology, E-DA Hospital and I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tzer-Zen
TZ
Hwang
Department of Otolaryngology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Jenn-Ren
JR
Hsiao
National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chia-Rung
CR
Tsai
National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan.
Jeffrey S
JS
Chang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Taiwan; head and neck cancer; human papillomavirus