Liver Cancer in Nepal.

Ananta Shrestha

doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1261

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly incidental in South Asian countries. Nepal, however, has low incidence for HCC owing to low prevalence for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Nepal lacked national cancer registry until 2003. Though there has been some effort in having one, the current registry incorporates twelve centers and may not properly represent the total cancer burden in the country. Serology for HBV and HCV is seen to be positive in nearly 25 to 30% and 5 to 10% of HCCs respectively. Clinical characteristics of HCCs in Nepal have been discussed in this mini-review and it features poor performance status and advanced stage at presentation, making only a small fraction of these subjects eligible for curative treatment options. Most of the standard treatment modalities are available in Nepal and appear to be reasonably affordable as compared with other developed nations.How to cite this article: Shrestha A. Liver Cancer in Nepal. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2018;8(1):63-65.

Highlights

Liver cancer is the 5th commonest cancer worldwide and the second commonest cause of cancer-related death.[1]
It was projected that age-adjusted mortality due to Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Nepal was 5.0 per 100,000 in 2000.5 Recent global disease burden estimation shows that age-adjusted annual mortality rates due to HCC is 2.8 per 100,000 in Nepal.[6]
When nucleic acid testing for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections were done, HBV DNA was detected in 69% and HCV RNA was detected in 14% of HCCs in a study done in 2007.7

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Liver cancer is the 5th commonest cancer worldwide (sixth among men and eighth among women) and the second commonest cause of cancer-related death.[1]. Prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in Nepal is 0.9 and 0.4% respectively, making it a low-prevalence region in South Asia.[2,3] Nepal did not have its cancer registry until 2003. Based on currently available data, crude incidence of liver cancer in Nepal is 0.9 and 0.8 per 100,000 in men and women respectively, and ASIRs are not known.[4] The registry does not provide data on mortality rates associated with cancers. Liver cancer leads to a total of 73.1 years per 100,000 of healthy life lost or Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY).[6] The age group most affected is 60 to 65 years in men and 65 to 70 years in men At these age groups, DALY reaches 644.1 and 331 years per 100,000 in men and women respectively. When nucleic acid testing for HBV and HCV infections were done, HBV DNA was detected in 69% and HCV RNA was detected in 14% of HCCs in a study done in 2007.7

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Findings

CONCLUSION