title: Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to infectious agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the proportion and numbers of cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to infectious agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population attributable fraction (PAF) and number of cancers caused by hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV), Helicobacter pylori and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were calculated using standard formulae incorporating prevalence of infection in the Australian population, the relative risks associated with that infection and cancer incidence. For cancers with very strong associations to the infectious agent (Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], human papillomavirus [HPV] and HIV/Kaposi's sarcoma herpes virus [KSHV]), calculations were based on viral prevalence in the tumour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An estimated 3,421 cancers (2.9% of all cancers) in Australia in 2010 were attributable to infections. Infectious agents causing the largest numbers of cancers were HPV (n=1,706), H. pylori (n=793) and HBV/HCV (n=518). Cancer sites with the greatest number of cancers caused by infections were cervix (n=818), stomach (n=694) and liver (n=483). Cancers with highest proportions attributable to infectious agents were Kaposi's sarcoma (100%), cervix (100%), nasopharynx (87%), anus (84%) and vagina (70%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infectious agents cause more than 3,000 cancers annually in Australia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Opportunities for cancer prevention through infection control are considerable, even in a 'first world' nation like Australia.
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonsson
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Louise F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Medicine, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Whiteman
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Neale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: cancer; infection; population attributable fraction; risk factor