Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination in Taiwan and the Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Children
- Study type
- Observational study
- Study name
- Taiwan Childhood Hepatoma Study
- Design
- Population-based cancer registry study (analysis of incidence trends over time, 1981 to 1994)
- Sample size
- Details in the full text
- Source
- N Engl J Med · 1997
In plain words
In Taiwan, all newborn babies have been vaccinated against hepatitis B since 1984. After that, the number of children who developed liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) fell noticeably. This finding shows that the hepatitis B vaccine can help prevent liver cancer.
Key results
Treatment arms and regimens
Taiwan's national hepatitis B vaccination programme began in July 1984. Cancer incidence was compared across the periods 1981 to 1986, 1986 to 1990 and 1990 to 1994. Vaccine and dose details in the full text.
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
Taiwanese children with liver cancer recorded in the Taiwan national cancer registry (reports from 142 hospitals with more than 50 beds) and at 17 major medical centres in Taiwan. To avoid including hepatoblastoma cases, the main analysis was limited to liver cancers in children aged 6 years and older.
Endpoints
Primary endpoint: annual incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children. Liver cancer mortality in children was also examined.
Safety and side effects
This study examined cancer incidence, and vaccine adverse events are not reported in the abstract.
Clinical significance and place in guidelines
This study is among the first population-level evidence that a universal hepatitis B vaccination programme is associated with a lower incidence of liver cancer in children, establishing the vaccine as a means of cancer prevention. The abstract gives no information on changes to guidelines or approvals, and the status of current recommendations should be checked separately.
Limitations
This study is observational, based on comparison of time periods, with no randomised control group; so, according to the abstract, a causal relationship is not certain. Other limitations are not stated in the abstract and should be checked 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.