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Reduction of hepatocellular carcinoma in childhood after introduction of selective vaccination against hepatitis B virus for infants born to HBV carrier mothers

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Abstract

Objective

A nation-wide prevention program utilizing passive-active immunoprophylaxis for high-risk babies against maternal HBV transmission was introduced in Japan in January of 1986. The prevention program was expected to eradicate HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of this selective prevention program against maternal HBV transmission on the occurrence of HBV-related HCC.

Methods

We reviewed the annual reports from a nation-wide survey of childhood solid tumors that was reported in the Journal of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons during the 28 years period from 1981 to 2008. The number of HCC cases were grouped for every 5-year period with an additional period of the past 3 years and compared with those of hepatoblastoma.

Results

The reported number of children with hepatoblastoma in each period was constant during the 28 years study period. In contrast, both the number of patients with HBV-related HCC and the ratio of HBV-related HCC to hepatoblastoma gradually decreased over the study period, with a significant drop in the last two periods ranging from 2001 to 2008 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The prevention program against maternal HBV infection of infants born to HBV carrier mothers may have decreased the occurrence of HBV-related HCC in childhood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, Osaka General Medical Center, 3-1-56 Bandaihigashi, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8558, Japan

    Hitoshi Tajiri & Tomoko Takano

  2. Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan

    Hideo Tanaka

  3. Department of Microbiology/Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Stephen Brooks

Authors
  1. Hitoshi Tajiri
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  2. Hideo Tanaka
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  3. Stephen Brooks
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  4. Tomoko Takano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hitoshi Tajiri.

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Tajiri, H., Tanaka, H., Brooks, S. et al. Reduction of hepatocellular carcinoma in childhood after introduction of selective vaccination against hepatitis B virus for infants born to HBV carrier mothers. Cancer Causes Control 22, 523–527 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9721-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9721-4

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