BMJ 2003;326:994-995 ( 10 May )

Editorials

Liver cancer in low and middle income countries

Prevention should target vaccination, contaminated needles, and aflatoxins

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Hepatocellular carcinoma affects more than 500 000 people globally annually, and five year mortality exceeds 95%. More than half of these people are in China, and the incidence in sub-Saharan Africa is also high.1 The causes of most of these cancers are now known, and their prevention is possible.

More than 50% of hepatocellular carcinomas are due to persistent (as opposed to transient) hepatitis B infection, and around 25% are due to persistent hepatitis C virus.2 However, persistent hepatitis B infection occurs primarily as a result of infection in the first five years of life, whereas most hepatitis C infection occurs in adult life. Thus primary liver cancer in younger individuals (under 50 years of age) is attributable to hepatitis B in more than 75% of the patients.

Aflatoxins are fungal toxins that commonly contaminate maize, groundnuts, and other crops. They play an important part in modifying the risk of liver cancer . . . [Full text of this article]
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • El-Nezami, H. S, Polychronaki, N. N, Ma, J., Zhu, H., Ling, W., Salminen, E. K, Juvonen, R. O, Salminen, S. J, Poussa, T., Mykkanen, H. M (2006). Probiotic supplementation reduces a biomarker for increased risk of liver cancer in young men from Southern China. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 83: 1199-1203 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Ho, A. M.-H., Karmakar, M. K., Cheung, M., Lam, G. C. S. (2004). Right thoracic paravertebral analgesia for hepatectomy. Br J Anaesth 93: 458-461 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Role of Oncological Terrain in Cancer Prevention.
Sergio Stagnaro
bmj.com, 9 May 2003 [Full text]
No unnecessary injections please
Kamal Kumar Mahawar
bmj.com, 11 May 2003 [Full text]
Paan chewing is an important risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma
Ajit Singh Kashyap, et al.
bmj.com, 30 Jun 2003 [Full text]
Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ