World Digestive Health Day: WDHD 2013

“600,000 people in the world die from this, and a lot of them are Asians," said Dr. Samuel So, director of the Liver Cancer Program and the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University in California. Said So: "We have had the vaccine for over 20 years, and still not enough people are taking it. Every 30 seconds, one person in the world dies of liver cancer, which is totally preventable."¹

DID YOU KNOW...

• Liver Cancer is the third most common cancer in the world?²
• Liver cancer in men is the fifth most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide but the second most frequent cause of cancer death. In women, it is the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death?³
• As of 2008, a total of 177 countries (91%) had introduced the HBV vaccine into their national infant immunization schedules, although in 2006 only 27% of infants worldwide received the first dose within 24 hours of birth, as recommended by the WHO?³
• About three-quarters of the cases of liver cancer are found in Southeast Asia (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan). Liver cancer is also very common in Sub-Saharan Africa (Mozambique and South Africa)?²
• According to the Institute of Medicine's January 2010 Report, incidence in the US tripled from 1975 to 2005, and it is estimated that prevention of perinatal HBV infection would save 41.8 million in medical and work-loss costs and routine vaccination of infants would provide an additional savings of 19.7 million?
• 1 out of 12 individuals have been infected with viral hepatitis?⁴

References:

1. http://liver.stanford.edu/Media/articles/manilatimes.pdf
2. Stuart, Keith. MedicineNet.com. What is liver cancer (hepatocellular Carcinoma, HCC)? June 11, 2012
3. CA Cancer J Clin 2011; 61:69-90
4. www.cdc.gov/Features/dsHepatitisAwareness/