title: Prevention of infection-related cancers in the WHO Western Pacific Region.
abstract: A considerable number of infectious agents have been classified as human carcinogens Group 1 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Major infection-related cancers such as cancers of nasopharynx (53%), stomach (60%) and liver (63%) occur in the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region. Many infection-related cancers are preventable, particularly those associated with human papilloma virus, Helicobacter pylori, human immunodeficiency virus-I, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus and liver flukes. Mongolia shows the highest prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus, and China shows the highest prevalence of Helicobacter pylori. Chronic infection is attributable for 17-28% of overall cancer incidence or mortality in China, Japan and Korea. Through infant immunization for hepatitis B, 30 of 37 countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region have reached the 2012 milestone of chronic hepatitis B virus infection prevalence of <2% in 5-year-old children and countries and areas of the region are now striving toward reaching the regional goal of <1% by 2017. Human papilloma virus immunization program is implemented either by government funding or, in some low-income countries, by public and private sector organizations. Cervical cancer screening via visual inspection with acetic acid or Pap smear is available in many Western Pacific Region Member States. More efforts are needed to implement new World Health Organization guide to vaccinate 9- to 13-year-old girls with two doses of human papilloma virus vaccine, and use human papilloma virus tests to screen women to prevent and control cervical cancer including guaranteed monitoring and appropriate follow-up for abnormal results.
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines shinh@wpro.who.int.
authors.forename: Hai-Rim
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Aesun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeongtaek
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Kimberley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Ying-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wiesen
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Cherian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Varghese
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
keywords: cancer; infection; policy; prevalence