The current infection with Helicobacter pylori and association with upper gastrointestinal lesions and risk of upper gastrointestinal cancer: Insights from multicenter population-based cohort study.

The relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers is complex. This multicenter, population-based cohort study conducted in seven areas in China aimed to assess the correlation between current H. pylori infection and the severity of UGI lesions, as well as its association with the risk of gastric cancer (GC) and esophageal cancer (EC). From 2015 to 2017, 27,085 participants (aged 40-69) completed a standardized questionnaire, and underwent a 13C-urea breath test. Then a subset underwent UGI endoscopy to assess the UGI lesion detection rates. All individuals were followed up until December 2021 to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) for UGI cancers. H. pylori infection prevalence was 45.9%, and among endoscopy participants, 22.2% had gastric lesions, 19.2% had esophageal lesions. Higher detection rates of gastric lesions were noted in the H. pylori-positive population across all lesion severity levels. Over a median follow-up of 6.3 years, 104 EC and 179 GC cases were observed, including 103 non-cardia gastric cancer (NCGC) cases and 76 cardia gastric cancer (CGC) cases. H. pylori-infected individuals exhibited a 1.78-fold increased risk of GC (HR 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-2.40) but no significant increase in EC risk (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.73-1.57). Notably, there was a higher risk for both NCGC and CGC in H. pylori-infected individuals. This population-based cohort study provides valuable evidence supporting the association between current H. pylori infection and the risk of both NCGC and CGC. These findings contribute to the empirical basis for risk stratification and recommendations for UGI cancer screening.

Combining fecal immunochemical testing and questionnaire-based risk assessment in selecting participants for colonoscopy screening in the Chinese National Colorectal Cancer Screening Programs: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Screening reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) burden by allowing early resection of precancerous and cancerous lesions. An adequate selection of high-risk individuals and a high uptake rate for colonoscopy screening are critical to identifying people more likely to benefit from screening and allocating healthcare resources properly. We evaluated whether combining a questionnaire-based interview for risk factors with fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outcomes for high-risk assessment is more efficient and economical than a questionnaire-based interview-only strategy. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this multicenter, population-based, prospective cohort study, we enrolled community residents aged 40 to 74 years in 29 provinces across China. From 2016 to 2020, a total of 1,526,824 eligible participants were consecutively enrolled in the Cancer Screening Program in Urban China (CanSPUC) cohort, and 940,605 were enrolled in the Whole Life Cycle of Cancer Screening Program (WHOLE) cohort, with follow-up to December 31, 2022. The mean ages were 56.89 and 58.61 years in CanSPUC and WHOLE, respectively. In the WHOLE cohort, high-risk individuals were identified by combining questionnaire-based interviews to collect data on risk factors (demographics, diet history, family history of CRC, etc.) with FIT outcomes (RF-FIT strategy), whereas in the CanSPUC cohort, high-risk individuals were identified using only interview-based data on risk factors (RF strategy). The primary outcomes were participation rate and yield (detection rate of advanced neoplasm, early-stage detection rate of CRCs [stage I/II], screening yield per 10,000 invitees), which were reported for the entire population and for different gender and age groups. The secondary outcome was the cost per case detected. In total, 71,967 (7.65%) and 281,985 (18.47%) individuals were identified as high-risk and were invited to undergo colonoscopy in the RF-FIT group and RF group, respectively. The colonoscopy participation rate in the RF-FIT group was 26.50% (19,071 of 71,967) and in the RF group was 19.54% (55,106 of 281,985; chi-squared test, p < 0.001). A total of 102 (0.53%) CRCs and 2,074 (10.88%) advanced adenomas were detected by the RF-FIT, versus 90 (0.16%) and 3,593 (6.52%) by the RF strategy (chi-squared test, both p < 0.001). The early-stage detection rate using the RF-FIT strategy was significantly higher than that by the RF strategy (67.05% versus 47.95%, Fisher's exact test, p = 0.016). The cost per CRC detected was $24,849 by the RF-FIT strategy versus $55,846 by the RF strategy. A limitation of the study was lack of balance between groups with regard to family history of CRC (3.5% versus 0.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Colonoscopy participation and screening yield were better with the RF-FIT strategy. The association with CRC incidence and mortality reduction should be evaluated after long-term follow-up.

Multicenter phase II study of moderate low-dose radiotherapy in indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma: CLCG-iNHL-01 protocol.

Background: Radiotherapy is an effective treatment for indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL); however, the optimal radiotherapy dose remains to be determined. We hypothesize that a suitable dose may exist between 4 and 24 Gy. Methods: This prospective multicenter phase II trial intends to recruit 73 sites of iNHL patients, who will receive involved-site radiotherapy of 12 Gy in four fractions. The primary objective is the 6-month clinical complete response rate. Tumor tissue, blood and conjunctival specimens will be collected to identify potential predictive biomarkers. Discussion: The CLCG-iNHL-01 trial will evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of 12 Gy in patients with iNHL and provide information on a novel hypofractionation regimen of low-dose radiotherapy. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05543070 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Risk-stratified Approach for Never- and Ever-Smokers in Lung Cancer Screening: A Prospective Cohort Study in China.

Rationale: Over 40% of lung cancer cases occurred in never-smokers in China. However, high-risk never-smokers were precluded from benefiting from lung cancer screening as most screening guidelines did not consider them. Objectives: We sought to develop and validate prediction models for 3-year lung cancer risks for never- and ever-smokers, named the China National Cancer Center Lung Cancer models (China NCC-LCm2021 models). Methods: 425,626 never-smokers and 128,952 ever-smokers from the National Lung Cancer Screening program were used as the training cohort and analyzed using multivariable Cox models. Models were validated in two independent prospective cohorts: one included 369,650 never-smokers and 107,678 ever-smokers (841 and 421 lung cancers), and the other included 286,327 never-smokers and 78,469 ever-smokers (503 and 127 lung cancers). Measurements and Main Results: The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves in the two validation cohorts were 0.698 and 0.673 for never-smokers and 0.728 and 0.752 for ever-smokers. Our models had higher areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves than other existing models and were well calibrated in the validation cohort. The China NCC-LCm2021 ⩾0.47% threshold was suggested for never-smokers and ⩾0.51% for ever-smokers. Moreover, we provided a range of threshold options with corresponding expected screening outcomes, screening targets, and screening efficiency. Conclusion: The construction of the China NCC-LCm2021 models can accurately reflect individual risk of lung cancer, regardless of smoking status. Our models can significantly increase the feasibility of conducting centralized lung cancer screening programs because we provide justified thresholds to define the high-risk population of lung cancer and threshold options to adapt different configurations of medical resources.

Measuring population-level cure patterns for cancer patients in the United States.

While the life expectancy of cancer survivors has substantially improved over time in the United States, the extent to which cancer patients are cured is not known. Population-level cure patterns are important indicators to quantify cancer survivorships. This population-based cohort study included 8978,721 cancer patients registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) databases between 1975 and 2018. The primary outcome was cure fractions. Five-year cure probability, time to cure and median survival time of uncured cases were also assessed. All four measures were calculated using flexible parametric models, according to 46 cancer sites, three summary stages, individual age and calendar year at diagnosis. In 2018, cure fractions ranged from 2.7% for distant liver cancer to 100.0% for localized/regional prostate cancer. Localized cancer had the highest cure fraction, followed by regional cancer and distant cancer. Except for localized breast cancer, older patients generally had lower cure fractions. There were 38 cancer site and stage combinations (31.2%) that achieved 95% of cure within 5 years. Median survival time of the uncured cases ranged from 0.3 years for distant liver cancer to 10.9 years for localized urinary bladder cancer. A total of 117 cancer site and stage combinations (93.6%) had increased cure fraction over time. A considerable proportion of cancer patients were cured at the population-level, and the cure patterns varied substantially across cancer site, stage and age at diagnosis. Increases in cure fractions over time likely reflected advances in cancer treatment and early detection.

Global patterns of cancer transitions: A modelling study.

Cancer is a major contributor to global disease burden. Many countries experienced or are experiencing the transition that non-infection-related cancers replace infection-related cancers. We aimed to characterise burden changes for major types of cancers and identify global transition patterns. We focused on 10 most common cancers worldwide and extracted age-standardised incidence and mortality in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019 through the Global Burden of Disease Study. Two-stage modelling design was used. First, we applied growth mixture models (GMMs) to identify distinct trajectories for incidence and mortality of each cancer type. Next, we performed latent class analysis to detect cancer transition patterns based on the categorisation results from GMMs. Kruskal-Wallis H tests were conducted to evaluate associations between transition patterns and socioeconomic indicators. Three distinct patterns were identified as unfavourable, intermediate and favourable stages. Trajectories of lung and breast cancers had the strongest association with transition patterns among men and women. The unfavourable stage was characterised by rapid increases in lung, breast and colorectal cancers alongside stable or decreasing burden of gastric, cervical, oesophageal and liver cancers. In contrast, the favourable stage exhibited rapid declines in most cancers. The unfavourable stage was associated with lower sociodemographic index, health expenditure, gross domestic product per capita and higher maternal mortality ratio (P < .001 for all associations). Our findings suggest that unfavourable, intermediate and favourable transition patterns exist. Countries and territories in the unfavourable stage tend to be socioeconomically disadvantaged, and tailored intervention strategies are needed in these resource-limited settings.

Modifiable risk-attributable and age-related burden of lung cancer in China, 1990-2019.

BACKGROUND: There were limited studies on the quantification of the modifiable and nonmodifiable lung cancer burden over time in China. Furthermore, the potential effect of risk factor reduction for lung cancer on gains in life expectancy (LE) remains unknown. METHODS: This study explored temporal trends in lung cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) attributable to modifiable risk factors from 1990 to 2019, based on the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. The abridged period life table method was used to quantify the effect of risk factors on LE. The authors used the decomposition approach to estimate contributions of aging metrics to change in the lung cancer burden. RESULTS: Nationally, the majority of lung cancer deaths and DALYs were attributable to behavioral and environmental risk clusters. Potential gains in life expectancy (PGLE) at birth would be 0.78 years for males and 0.35 years for females if the exposure to risk factors was mitigated to the theoretical minimum level. Tobacco use had the most robust impact on LE for both sexes (PGLE: 0.71 years for males and 0.19 years for females). From 1990 to 2019, risk-attributable age-standardized death and DALY rates of lung cancer showed an increasing trend in both sexes; adult population growth imposed 245.9 thousand deaths and 6.2 million DALYs for lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The modifiable risk-attributable lung cancer burden remains high in China. Effective tobacco control is the critical step toward addressing the lung cancer burden. Adult population growth was the foremost driver of transition in the age-related lung cancer burden. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: We estimate the lung cancer burden attributable to modifiable and nonmodifiable contributors and the effect of risk factor reduction for lung cancer on the life expectancy in China. The findings suggest that the majority of lung cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years were attributable to behavioral risk clusters, and the risk-attributable lung cancer burden increased nationally from 1990 to 2019. The average gains in life expectancy would be 0.78 years for males and 0.35 years for females if the exposure to risk factors for lung cancer was reduced to the theoretical minimum risk exposure level. Adult population growth was identified as the foremost driver of variation in the aging lung cancer burden.

Risk-Adapted Starting Age for Personalized Colorectal Cancer Screening: Validated Evidence From National Population-Based Studies.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A one-size-fits-all approach to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening that does not account for CRC risk factors is not conducive to personalized screening. On the basis of the principle of equal management of equal risks, we aimed to tailor and validate risk-adapted starting ages of CRC screening for individuals with different CRC risk factors. METHODS: A multi-center community-based population cohort (N = 3,165,088) was used to evaluate the starting age of CRC screening with comprehensive consideration of risk factors. Age-specific 10-year cumulative risk curves were used to determine when individuals at greater risk for CRC reached the same risk level as the 50-year-old general population, which is currently the recommended starting age for CRC screening in China. RESULTS: During the study follow-up period (2013-2021), 4,840 incident CRCs were recorded. Family history of CRC, adverse lifestyle, and comorbidities demonstrated heterogeneous associations with CRC risk (hazard ratios, 1.05-1.55; P < .05). Men and women with CRC family history and at least 2 risk factors reached the standard benchmark risk (0.28%) for screening at the age of 40, 10 years earlier than their peers without risk factors in the general population. Proposed starting ages for CRC screening were validated in an independent community-based population cohort (N = 1,023,367). CONCLUSIONS: We determined a risk-adapted CRC screening starting age for individuals with various CRC risk factors. Earlier, personalized screening based on these findings could allow for scarce health resources to be dedicated to individuals who benefit most.

Endoscopic Surveillance for Premalignant Esophageal Lesions: A Community-Based Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mild and moderate dysplasia are major premalignant lesions of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, evidence of the progression risk in patients with these conditions is extremely limited. We aimed to assess the incidence and risk factors for advanced neoplasia in patients with mild-moderate dysplasia. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included patients with mild-moderate dysplasia from 9 regions in rural China. These patients were identified from a community-based ESCC screening program conducted between 2010 and 2016 and were offered endoscopic surveillance until December 2021. We estimated the incidence of advanced esophageal neoplasia, including severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, or ESCC, and identified potential risk factors using the Cox regression model. RESULTS: The 1183 patients with mild-moderate dysplasia were followed up over a period of 6.95 years. During follow-up evaluation, 88 patients progressed to advanced neoplasia (7.44%), with an incidence rate of 10.44 per 1000 person-years. The median interval from the progression of mild-moderate dysplasia to advanced neoplasia was 2.39 years (interquartile range, 1.58-4.32 y). A total of 74.47% of patients with mild-moderate dysplasia experienced regression to nondysplasia, and 18.09% showed no lesion progression. Patients with mild-moderate dysplasia who had a family history of esophageal cancer and were age 55 years and older showed 97% higher advanced neoplasia yields than all patients with mild-moderate dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: In a country with a high incidence of ESCC, patients with mild-moderate dysplasia showed an overall risk of advanced neoplasia progression of 1.04% per year. Patients with mild-moderate dysplasia would be recommended for endoscopic surveillance during the first 2 to 3 years.

Cost-effectiveness of the screen-and-treat strategies using HPV test linked to thermal ablation for cervical cancer prevention in China: a modeling study.

BACKGROUND: Self-sampling HPV test and thermal ablation are effective tools to increase screening coverage and treatment compliance for accelerating cervical cancer elimination. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of their combined strategies to inform accessible, affordable, and acceptable cervical cancer prevention strategies. METHODS: We developed a hybrid model to evaluate costs, health outcomes, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) of six screen-and-treat strategies combining HPV testing (self-sampling or physician-sampling), triage modalities (HPV genotyping, colposcopy or none) and thermal ablation, from a societal perspective. A designated initial cohort of 100,000 females born in 2015 was considered. Strategies with an ICER less than the Chinese gross domestic product (GDP) per capita ($10,350) were considered highly cost-effective. RESULTS: Compared with current strategies in China (physician-HPV with genotype or cytology triage), all screen-and-treat strategies are cost-effective and self-HPV without triage is optimal with the most incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained (220 to 440) in rural and urban China. Each screen-and-treat strategy based on self-collected samples is cost-saving compared with current strategies (-$818,430 to -$3540) whereas more costs are incurred using physician-collected samples compared with current physician-HPV with genotype triage (+$20,840 to +$182,840). For screen-and-treat strategies without triage, more costs (+$9404 to +$380,217) would be invested in the screening and treatment of precancerous lesions rather than the cancer treatment compared with the current screening strategies. Notably, however, more than 81.6% of HPV-positive women would be overtreated. If triaged with HPV 7 types or HPV16/18 genotypes, 79.1% or 67.2% (respectively) of HPV-positive women would be overtreated with fewer cancer cases avoided (19 cases or 69 cases). CONCLUSIONS: Screen-and-treat strategy using self-sampling HPV test linked to thermal ablation could be the most cost-effective for cervical cancer prevention in China. Additional triage with quality-assured performance could reduce overtreatment and remains highly cost-effective compared with current strategies.

Efficacy of ctDNA methylation combined with traditional detection modality to detect liver cancer among high-risk patients: A multicenter diagnostic trial.

Objective: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) plus ultrasound (US) have been considered to have high diagnostic accuracy for cancer detection, however, the efficacy of ctDNA methylation combined with the traditional detection modality of liver cancer has not been tested in a Chinese independent cohort. Methods: The high-risk individuals aged between 35 and 70 years who were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or had moderate and severe fatty liver were eligible for inclusion. All participants were invited to receive a traditional examination [referring to AFP plus US], and ctDNA methylation, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of different diagnostic tools were calculated. The logistic regression model was applied to estimate the area under the curve (AUC), which was further validated by 10-fold internal cross-validation. Results: A total of 1,205 individuals were recruited in our study, and 39 participants were diagnosed with liver cancer. The sensitivity of AFP, US, US plus AFP, and the combination of US, AFP, and ctDNA methylation was 33.33%, 56.41%, 66.67%, and 87.18%, respectively. The corresponding specificity of AFP, US, US plus AFP, and the combination of all modalities was 98.20%, 99.31%, 97.68%, and 97.68%, respectively. The AUCs of AFP, US, US plus AFP, and the combination of AFP, US, and ctDNA methylation were 65.77%, 77.86%, 82.18%, and 92.43%, respectively. The internally validated AUCs of AFP, US, US plus AFP, and the combination of AFP, US, and ctDNA methylation were 67.57%, 83.26%, 86.54%, and 93.35%, respectively. Conclusions: The ctDNA methylation is a good complementary to AFP and US for the detection of liver cancer.

Stomach cancer burden in China: Epidemiology and prevention.

In 2020, stomach cancer was the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Due to the relatively huge population base and the poor survival rate, stomach cancer is still a threat in China, and accounts for nearly half of the cases worldwide. Fortunately, in China, the incidence and mortality rates of stomach cancer presented a declining trend owing to the change of individual life styles and the persistent efforts to prevent stomach cancer from the governments at all levels. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, poor eating habits, smoking, history of gastrointestinal disorders, and family history of stomach cancer are the main risk factors for stomach cancer in China. As a result, by taking risk factors for stomach cancer into account, specific preventive measures, such as eradicating H. pylori and implementing stomach cancer screening projects, should be taken to better prevent and decrease the burden of stomach cancer.

Estimation of economic burden throughout course of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer in China: A nationwide multicenter cross-sectional study.

Objective: Cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) and cervical cancer are major threats to females' health and life in China, and we aimed to estimate the economic burden associated with their diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A nationwide multicenter, cross-sectional, hospital-based survey was conducted in 26 qualified hospitals across seven administrative regions of China. We investigated females who had been pathologically diagnosed with SIL and cervical cancer, and included five disease courses ("diagnosis", "initial treatment", "chemoradiotherapy", "follow-up" and "recurrence/progression/metastasis") to estimate the total costs. The median and interquartile range (IQR) of total costs (including direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs), reimbursement rate by medical insurance, and catastrophic health expenditures in every clinical stage were calculated. Results: A total of 3,471 patients in different clinical stages were analyzed, including low-grade SIL (LSIL) (n=549), high-grade SIL (HSIL) (n=803), cervical cancer stage IA (n=226), IB (n=610), IIA (n=487), IIB (n=282), III (n=452) and IV (n=62). In urban areas, the estimated total costs of LSIL and HSIL were [Formula: see text]1,637.7 (IQR: [Formula: see text]956.4-[Formula: see text]2,669.2) and [Formula: see text]2,467.1 (IQR: [Formula: see text]1,579.1-[Formula: see text]3,762.3), while in rural areas the costs were [Formula: see text]459.0 (IQR: [Formula: see text]167.7-[Formula: see text]1,330.3) and [Formula: see text]1,230.5 (IQR: [Formula: see text]560.6-[Formula: see text]2,104.5), respectively. For patients with cervical cancer stage IA, IB, IIA, IIB, and III-IV, the total costs were [Formula: see text]15,034.9 (IQR: [Formula: see text]11,083.4-[Formula: see text]21,632.4), [Formula: see text]19,438.6 (IQR: [Formula: see text]14,060.0-[Formula: see text]26,505.9), [Formula: see text]22,968.8 (IQR: [Formula: see text]16,068.8-[Formula: see text]34,615.9), [Formula: see text]26,936.0 (IQR: [Formula: see text]18,176.6-[Formula: see text]41,386.0) and [Formula: see text]27,332.6 (IQR: [Formula: see text]17,538.7-[Formula: see text]44,897.0), respectively. Medical insurance covered 43%-55% of direct medical costs for cervical cancer patients, while the coverage for SIL patients was 19%-43%. For most cervical cancer patients, the expense was catastrophic, and the extent of catastrophic health expenditure was about twice large for rural patients than that for urban patients in each stage. Conclusions: The economic burden of SIL and cervical cancer in China is substantial, with a significant proportion of the costs being avoidable for patients with LSIL. Even for those with medical insurance, catastrophic health expenditures are also a major concern for patients with cervical cancer, particularly for those living in rural areas.

Lung cancer burden and trends from 2000 to 2018 in China: Comparison between China and the United States.

Objective: This study aims to provide an analysis of the current status and trends of lung cancer incidence and mortality rates in China, comparing trends with those in the United States (U.S.). Methods: Data on lung cancer incidence and mortality rates spanning 2000 to 2018 were extracted from the China Cancer Registry Annual Report and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for China and the U.S., respectively. Crude incidence and mortality rates were calculated by sex and age, with age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) and mortality rates (ASMR) calculated using the Segi-Doll world standard population. Trend analyses employed Joinpoint regression models to determine average annual percentage change (AAPC). The study also assessed the proportion of new cases and deaths by sex and age. Results: In 2018, the ASIR of lung cancer for males in China was 50.72 per 100,000 and the ASMR was 39.69 per 100,000, the ASIR for females was 26.25 per 100,000 and the ASMR was 15.24 per 100,000. Both ASIR and ASMR were higher in males and the highest in the population aged 65 years and older, with the lowest among those aged 20-49 years. In China, female ASIR demonstrated an increasing trend (AAPC: 1.16%), while ASMR decreased in both sexes (AAPCs: -0.48% for males, -1.00% for females). The U.S. exhibited decreasing trends in both ASIR and ASMR across sexes and age groups. Conclusions: The study identified an increasing trend in lung cancer incidence among females and a decreasing mortality trend in both sexes in China. These trends are likely linked to factors such as smoking prevalence, advancements in cancer screening, and improved medical care. The findings underscore the need for tailored lung cancer prevention measures in China, particularly the reinforcement of anti-smoking policies.

Assessment of the compliance, influencing factors, and yielding results of liver cancer screening in a high-risk population: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The participation and results for liver cancer screening are rarely reported. The aim of this study was to determine the participation rates and factors affecting participation rates as well as to report the detection rate for liver cancer in an organized screening program. METHODS: The organized screening program for liver cancer was conducted in 12 rural sites. The risk of developing liver cancer was initially evaluated for each participant. High-risk individuals were offered α-fetoprotein measurement and ultrasonography examination. Potential risk factors associated with the participation rate were screened by fitted generalized linear mixed logistic regression models through reporting odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. RESULTS: A total of 358,662 eligible participants completed the basic surveys, and 54,745 were evaluated to be at high risk of liver cancer. Of these high-risk individuals, 40,543 accepted the screening services. Determinants of participation for screening behavior included older age, being female, being positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, having a family history of liver cancer, chronic depression, and low income. The detection rate for liver cancer was estimated to be 0.41% (95% CI, 0.35-0.48). CONCLUSIONS: This study reported several significant factors associated with the screening behaviors for liver cancer. LAY SUMMARY: Participation rate and results for liver cancer screening in rural areas are rarely reported. The determinants associated with adherence rates and early detection rate of liver cancer in an organized screening program for liver cancer were assessed. A possible positive correlation between the participation rates and the early detection rate was observed among attendees of screening. These new finds could be beneficial to increasing the participation rate of screening.

Burden of liver cancer: From epidemiology to prevention.

In this review, we offer a concise overview of liver cancer epidemiology in China and worldwide from the official databases of GLOBOCAN 2020 and the National Cancer Registry in China. We also summarized the evidence for the main risk factors associated with liver cancer risk and discuss strategies implemented in China to control the liver cancer burden. Overall, liver cancer was the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in 2020. Although China contributed to nearly half of cases across the world alone, the incidence and mortality rates of liver cancer presented a declining trend owing to the persistent efforts from the governments at all levels. The current liver cancer burden in China still faces an arduous challenge due to the relatively large population base as well as the substantially low survival rate (12.1%). To better control the liver cancer burden with the lowest cost, specific measures should be conducted by reducing exposure to established risk factors such as hepatitis B infection and aflatoxin. The promotion of surveillance is also an important method to prolong the survival of liver cancer. This review will provide basic information for future direction on the control of liver cancer burden.

Colorectal cancer burden, trends and risk factors in China: A review and comparison with the United States.

Objective: China and the United States (the U.S.) have the heaviest colorectal cancer (CRC) burden with considerable variations in temporal trends. This study aims to analyze the temporal patterns of CRC burden and its risk factors in China and the U.S. across the past three decades. Methods: Data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study in 2019, including cases, deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), age-standardized rate (ASR), and summary exposure value (SEV) of CRC in China and the U.S. between 1990 and 2019. Annual average percentage changes (AAPCs) of CRC burden were calculated using the Joinpoint regression model. The mortality in CRC attributable to potential risk factors was characterized by countries, gender, and age groups. Results: In 2019, there were 607,900 and 227,241 CRC cases, and 261,777 and 84,026 CRC deaths in China and the U.S., respectively. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) was 30.55 per 100,000 in China and 41.86 per 100,000 in the U.S., and the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) was 13.86 per 100,000 in China and 14.77 per 100,000 in the U.S. CRC incidence, mortality, and DALY rate in the U.S. showed downward trends in the past three decades (AAPC=-0.47, -1.06, and -0.88, respectively), while upward trends were observed in China (AAPC=3.11, 1.05, and 0.91, respectively). Among the cause of CRC, the leading risk factor contributing to CRC death was low milk in China and smoking in the U.S., respectively. Conclusions: From 1990 to 2019, the burden of CRC in China increased dramatically, particularly for males and middle-aged and elderly people. The management of the major risk factors associated with the high burden of CRC should be enhanced.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of eliminating cervical cancer through a tailored optimal pathway: a modeling study.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Assembly has adopted a global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer. However, neither the optimal pathway nor the corresponding economic and health benefits have been evaluated. We take China as an example to assess the optimal pathway towards elimination and the cost-effectiveness of tailored actions. METHODS: A validated hybrid model was used to assess the costs and benefits of alternative strategies combining human papillomavirus vaccination, cervical screening, and treatment of pre-invasive lesions and invasive cancer for females with different immunization history. All Chinese females living or projected to be born during 2015-2100, under projected trends in aging, urbanization, and sexual activity, were considered. Optimal strategies were determined by cost-effectiveness efficiency frontiers. Primary outcomes were cervical cancer cases and deaths averted and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). We employed a lifetime horizon from a societal perspective. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses evaluate model uncertainty. RESULTS: The optimal pathway represents an integration of multiple tailored strategies from females with different immunization history. If China adopts the optimal pathway, the age-standardized incidence of cervical cancer is predicted to decrease to fewer than four new cases per 100,000 women (i.e., elimination) by 2047 (95% confidence interval 2043 to 2050). Compared to the status quo, the optimal pathway would avert a total of 7,509,192 (6,922,744 to 8,359,074) cervical cancer cases and 2,529,873 (2,366,826 to 2,802,604) cervical cancer deaths in 2021-2100, with the discounted ICER being $- 339 (- 687 to - 79) per quality-adjusted life-year. CONCLUSIONS: By adopting an optimal pathway from 2021 (namely, the year of the first Chinese Centennial Goals) onwards, cervical cancer could be eliminated by the late 2040s (namely, ahead of the second Chinese Centennial Goals) while saving net economic costs in China.

Attributable deaths of liver cancer in China.

OBJECTIVE: There is little information about contributions of the well-known risk factors to the liver cancer burden. We conducted a comparative study to estimate the liver cancer burden attributable to major risk factors. METHODS: Liver cancer deaths for adults were estimated from 978 county-level surveillance points in China in 2014. Risk factors were identified from the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Cancer Research Fund International. Population attributable fraction (PAF) by age, sex, and province was calculated using multiple formulas. RESULTS: In total, 72.4% of liver cancer deaths could be attributable to the studied risk factors. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) was responsible for the largest fraction of liver cancer burden in both genders (PAF=55.6% in males, PAF=46.5% in females). PAFs for liver cancer burden attributable to smoking (15.7% vs. 4.8%), and alcohol drinking (10.3% vs. 1.6%) were significantly higher in males than in females. The burden of HBV-attributable deaths was the highest in Qinghai province. CONCLUSIONS: HBV still contributes to the majority of liver cancer burden than any other risk factors. Targeted preventive measures should be implemented based on the degree of contributions of risk factors to liver cancer deaths.

Comparative performance evaluation of different HPV tests and triaging strategies using self-samples and feasibility assessment of thermal ablation in 'colposcopy and treat' approach: A population-based study in rural China.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) test, self-sampling and thermal ablation for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) have been developed separately to increase screening coverage and treatment compliance of cervical cancer screening programmes. A large-scale study in rural China screened 9,526 women with their combinations to explore the optimal cervical cancer-screening cascade in the real-world. Participants received careHPV and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) HPV tests on self-collected samples. Women positive on either HPV test underwent colposcopy, biopsy and thermal ablation in a single visit. Samples positive on either HPV test were retested for genotyping. Absolute and relative performance of HPV tests, triage strategies, 'colposcopy and thermal ablation' approach were statistically evaluated. PCR HPV test detected 33.3% more CIN grade two or worse (CIN2+) at a cost of 28.1% more colposcopies compared to careHPV. Sensitivities of PCR HPV and careHPV tests to detect CIN2+ were 96.7 and 72.5%. Specificities for the same disease outcome were 82.1 and 86.0%. Triaging HPV-positive women with HPV16/18 genotyping considerably improved the positive predictive value for CIN2+ (4.8-5.0 to 18.2-19.2%). Ninety-six women positive on HPV and having abnormal colposcopy were eligible for thermal ablation and all accepted same-day treatment, contributing to 64.6% being treated appropriately (CIN1+ on histopathology), which reached up to 84.8% among women positive on HPV 16/18 triage. No serious side-effects/complications were reported. The combination of PCR HPV test followed by HPV 16/18 triaging on self-collected samples and colposcopy of triage positive women followed by immediate thermal ablation might be the appropriate screening cascade for rural China.