By Na Jeong-ju
Jindo, an island in South Jeolla Province, has significantly more liver cancer patients than other regions.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 71.7 men and 18.8 women per 100,000 people contracted liver cancer between 1999 and 2008, which was 40 to 60 percent higher than the average ratios in other regions across the province.
Between 1999 and 2003, 73.2 males and 18.4 females per 100,000 died of liver cancer in Jindo, about 60 percent higher than the average number of deaths from the disease in the country.
After conducting research over a period of months to identify what is causing the abnormally high rate of liver cancer patients in Jindo, the center said Monday that hepatitis C appears to be the common link.
“Our survey showed the number of Jindo residents carrying hepatitis C virus per 100,000 is five to 10 times higher than those in other regions,” said Park Hye-kyung, an official from the center. “The problem is that the disease could be passed on from parents to children. We plan to look into the health conditions of some 2,000 students there soon.”
Park said it is unknown why there are more hepatitis C carriers on the island.
“It could be dietary habits or food produced on the island. We need to conduct additional studies to find the reason,” she said.
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that can lead to liver cancer. Most people infected with hepatitis C do not show any symptoms until the liver hardens.
According to health authorities, people are in danger of contracting hepatitis C after they have sexual contact with a person with the virus, have a tattoo or undergo acupuncture with contaminated instruments or share personal items such as toothbrushes or razors with someone who is infected with the disease.
The center said it is difficult to confirm the exact cause of the liver cancer because it usually takes more than 10 years before hepatitis C develops into it.
“One of the difficulties of treating hepatitis C carriers is that there are no anti-viral vaccines for the disease. It’s important to not share personal items with hepatitis C carriers,” Park said.
The center plans to conduct blood tests on all Jindo residents and hand out booklets on how to prevent the disease. Municipalities on the island will visit villages to raise awareness of the possible link between hepatitis C and liver cancer, officials said.