Liver cancer in Asian migrants to the United States and their descendants

Abstract

The incidence of primary liver cancer in Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino migrants to the United States and their descendants is compared with that of United States-born Whites. Incident liver cancer cases were ascertained between 1973 and 1986 from population-based cancer registries serving the San Francisco/Oakland (CA) metropolitan area, 13 counties of western Washington, and Hawaii. The population of these three areas, with regard to age, race, and country of birth, was estimated from a special tabulation of the 1980 US census. Rates of primary liver cancer were higher for men born in Asia than Asian men born in the US, who, in turn, had higher rates than did US Whites (respective annual rates per 100,000: Chinese, 26.5 and 9.8; Japanese, 16.5 and 6.6; Filipinos, 11.4 and 6.5; US Whites, 3.4). Among Asian American women, the trends were not as consistent (respective annual rates per 100,000: Chinese, 2.2 and 3.7; Japanese, 1.9 and 1.4; Filipino, 2.6 and 0; US Whites, 1.1). In general, liver cancer incidence among Asian Americans was lower than among residents of Asia. These findings are compatible with substantial variation among Asians in the prevalence of one or more etiologic factors for liver cancer, such as hepatitis-B infection and aflatoxin consumption, in relation to residence and place of birth.