Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2018: a worldwide incidence analysis
- Study type
- Other
- Design
- Global epidemiological incidence analysis based on the GLOBOCAN 2018 database (estimation of population attributable fractions)
- Sample size
- 2.2 million infection-attributable cancer cases estimated worldwide in 2018
- Source
- The Lancet Global Health · 2020
In plain words
This study shows that in 2018 about 2.2 million cancer cases worldwide could be put down to infections such as Helicobacter pylori, human papillomavirus (HPV) and the hepatitis B and C viruses. These infections can be prevented or controlled. So prevention programmes that target infection, especially in high-risk groups, could greatly reduce the burden of cancer.
Key results
Treatment arms and regimens
This is not an interventional study and has no treatment group; the attributable fraction and incidence of infection-related cancers were estimated.
Source of the regimen details: Abstract of the paper
Doses are given for the information of specialists, as in this study’s protocol, and are not a prescription. Every drug must be prescribed by the treating physician for the individual patient.
Study population
Country-level cancer incidence and mortality data from the GLOBOCAN 2018 database. The analysis covered the anatomical sites, subsites or histological subtypes of cancers associated with ten infectious agents classified as human carcinogens.
Endpoints
Estimated attributable fractions and global incidence of infection-attributable cancers, absolute case numbers and country-level age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR), stratified by sex, age group, country, geographical region and World Bank income group.
Safety and side effects
Safety is not relevant in this epidemiological study.
Clinical significance and place in guidelines
According to the results of this analysis, infections account for a substantial share of the global cancer burden, with large geographical differences. The authors stress the need to allocate resources to cancer prevention programmes that target infection, especially in high-risk populations. This study is an epidemiological description and does not directly change patient treatment; the status of clinical guideline recommendations should be checked separately.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state the study's limitations. The analysis is based on estimated attributable fractions and GLOBOCAN 2018 data. Further details are available in the full text.
This summary was prepared by the editorial team from the published paper; the original paper is the final reference. Read the original abstract on PubMed.