AsianScientist (Sep, 20, 2017) – In a study published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, researchers in Hong Kong have found that hepatitis B treatment reduces the incidence of liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is a common infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B can be transmitted through blood and body fluids; for example, through sexual contact, the transfusion of contaminated blood and the sharing of contaminated needles. The incubation period of HBV ranges from 45 to 160 days. In Hong Kong, approximately eight percent of the population are infected with HBV.
If not detected early, patients who are infected with HBV will become chronic carriers of the virus. Most HBV carriers are asymptomatic, and around 25 percent of hepatitis B cases may further develop into cirrhosis and liver cancer if no regular checkup and early treatments are available. Over 1,500 patients die of liver cancer every year in Hong Kong, with around 80 percent of the deaths related to HBV.
In this study, the research team at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) obtained 14-year HBV treatment data in specialist outpatient clinics from the Hospital Authority. The team statistically studied the effect of HBV treatment on liver cancer trends from 1990 to 2012 and confirmed that HBV treatment is associated with a reduction in overall liver cancer incidence. The team also studied the effect of treatment in specific age groups.
The reduction in liver cancer incidence from HBV treatment was the most obvious for individuals in the age group of 55 to 64 years. In this age group, the liver cancer incidence was reduced by 24 percent among men who received HBV treatment, while for women, it was reduced by 8.5 percent. This could be explained by a high treatment prescription rate and high clinic attendance rate among this age group.
On the other hand, the preventive effect of HBV treatment in the elderly age group (≥65 years) was diminished. This might be because drug prescription rates and clinic attendance rates among the elderly population are lower.
The HKU study confirms the effectiveness of HBV treatment in reducing the burden of liver cancer. Thus, HKU encourages HBV-infected patients to receive long-term follow-up consultations with their physicians, seeking treatment when necessary.
Given the low rates of clinic attendance and treatment prescription among the elderly population, community outreach to elderly HBV-infected individuals should be strengthened to further reduce liver cancer incidence rates in Hong Kong.
“The HKU study confirms that HBV treatment can reduce liver cancer incidence rate. Through strengthened community outreach, there will be a better control in liver cancer incidence in Hong Kong,” said Professor Richard Yuen Man-fung, Li Shu Fan Medical Foundation Professor in Medicine, Chair Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, HKU.
The article can be found at: Seto et al. (2017) Effects of Nucleoside Analog Prescription for Hepatitis B on the Incidence of Liver Cancer in Hong Kong: A Territory-wide Ecological Study.
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Source: University of Hong Kong; Photo: Shutterstock.
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