Hepatitis B Vaccination Protects against Liver Cancer

According to new research, vaccination at birth against hepatitis B virus, greatly reduces the risk of liver cancer in adulthood. The findings are published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute online edition of 16 September 2009.

In 20 years of research that followed infants are vaccinated against the liver disease in Taiwan began in 1984, when universal vaccination programs come into force, Dr Mei-Hwei Chang, from the Department of Pediatrics at National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, and colleagues studied young people who had undergone liver cancer.

The researchers found that only a few people who have been vaccinated will experience liver cancer, and there are possible explanations in most cases, such as not enough doses of vaccine.

The authors conclude that these data indicate that the effectiveness of universal hepatitis B immunization program to prevent liver cancer, has gone beyond childhood and into young adults for two decades.

In the United States, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all infants, children and adolescents if they have not been vaccinated previously. Officials recommend that adults get vaccinated if they are at risk of liver cancer. More information can visit the site the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.