[Epidemiologic characteristics of liver cancer in the youth in Qidong high-risk area].

This paper reports the epidemiologic characteristics of liver cancer in the youth aged 0-34 years during the period of 1972-1989 in Qidong high-risk area. The mortality for liver cancer in the youth was 11.59 per 100,000 (age-adjusted rate, 9.55 per 100,000), which accounted for 15.45% of that in the total population, and 61.55% of all cancers in the youth. Significant sex-difference was also seen in the youth: 18.60 per 100,000 (age-adjusted rate, 15.79 per 100,000) in males and 4.50 per 100,000 (age-adjusted rate, 3.60 per 100,000) in females. The male-to-female ratio was 4.13: 1, showing that liver cancer occurred more frequently in early-adult life in males than females. There was a rising trend in crude mortality of liver cancer in the youth over this period, but after adjusting for age, the rate showed a slight decrease. It might be expected that, owing to expanded immunization with hepatitis B vaccine in Qidong newborns since 1983, the further decrease of liver cancer mortality in Qidong should be seen in the youth.