Patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in Egypt from a population-based cancer registry

Aim: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing worldwide, and is frequently attributed to rising rates of hepatitis C virus infection and interactions between viral and environmental risk factors. Because of Egypt's unique risk factor profile, we analyzed data from the Gharbiah Population‐Based Cancer Registry for the period 1999–2003 to characterize demographic and geographic patterns of cases in this province. Methods: We calculated age‐ and sex‐specific and age‐ and sex‐standardized HCC incidence rates for the eight districts in Gharbiah. We also compared rates from Gharbiah with the USA (US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results [SEER] database). Results: The analysis revealed a higher incidence in males than in females, significant geographic variations among districts, and a higher incidence in Gharbiah than that reported by SEER. Conclusion: The findings of this study document the heterogeneous distribution of HCC at regional and international levels. This population‐based registry offers the opportunity for careful representative studies of various etiologies, particularly infectious and/or environmental factors that may contribute to risk.