Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T17:40:33.791Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese immigrants, compared with Chinese in China and South East Asia: review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2009

W M Yu  and
S S M Hussain
W M Yu
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Ninewells Hospital, University of Dundee Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK
S S M Hussain*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Ninewells Hospital, University of Dundee Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr S S M Hussain, Consultant Otolaryngologist, Honorary Reader in Surgery and Molecular Oncology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK. Fax: +44 1382 632 816 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

To evaluate the literature and to compare published data on age-standardised incidence rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese people living in and outside China.

Design:

Systematic review of incidence rate studies and statistical incidence data concerning nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese populations from 1960 to 2008.

Data sources:

Sixteen papers were identified from the PubMed, Embase and Scopus electronic databases and from a hand search of the reference lists of the retrieved papers. Further searches for raw data on age-specific and age-standardised incidence rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were conducted. Textbooks on relevant subjects were referred to for background information. A total of 19 papers met the inclusion criteria.

Results:

Seven studies included raw data on age-specific and age-standardised incidence rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese people. Twelve other studies reported on changes in the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese populations in selected countries or regions. Studies on age-specific and age-standardised rates obtained data from individual registries. Studies on incidence rates obtained data from hospital records, cancer notifications (from all sections of the medical profession), pathology records and death certificates. The results showed a decline in age-standardised incidence rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese immigrant populations, compared with Chinese people in China. There was also a trend towards decreasing incidence the further the population had immigrated. Thus, the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Singaporean Chinese was higher than that in Hawaiian Chinese, and that in Hawaiian Chinese was higher than that in Californian Chinese.

Conclusion:

This review found a decreasing trend in the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese migrants living in countries with a low risk of the disease.

Keywords

Nasopharyngeal NeoplasmsAsian Continental Ancestry GroupChinaCarcinogenesisEmigration And Immigration
Type
Review Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 123 , Issue 10 , October 2009 , pp. 1067 - 1074
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Parkin, DM, Whelan, SL, Ferlay, J, Raymond, L, Young, J. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Publications, 1997:7Google Scholar
2Huang, DP. Epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Ear Nose Throat J 1990;69:222–5Google ScholarPubMed
3Yu, MC, Ho, JHC, Ross, RK, Henderson, BE. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese – salted fish or inhaled smoke? Prev Med 1981;10:15–24CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Li, CC, Yu, MC, Henderson, BE. Some epidemiologic observations of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Guangdong, People's Republic of China. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 1985;69:49–52Google ScholarPubMed
5Yu, MC, Yuan, JM. Epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Semin Cancer Biol 2002;12:421–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Jeannel, D, Bouvier, G, Huber, A. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an epidemiological approach to carcinogenesis. Cancer Surv 1999;33:125–55Google Scholar
7Buell, P. The effect of migration on the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer among Chinese. Cancer Res 1974;34:1189–91Google ScholarPubMed
8King, H, Li, JY, Locke, FB, Pollack, ES, Tu, JT. Patterns of site-specific displacement on cancer mortality among migrants: the Chinese in the United States. Am J Public Health 1985;75:237–42CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9The Ranking of Ethnic Chinese Population. In: http://www.ocac.gov.tw/english/public/public.asp?selno=1163&no=1163&level=B [25 January 2008]Google Scholar
10Wang, ZJ, Ramcharan, S, Love, EJ. Cancer Mortality of Chinese in Canada. Int J Epidemiol 1989;18:17–21Google Scholar
11Dudley, L, Mei, Y. The distribution of the overseas Chinese in the contemporary world. International Migration Review 1990;24:480–508Google Scholar
12King, H, Haenzel, W. Cancer mortality among foreign- and native-born Chinese in the United States. J Chronic Dis 1973;26:623–46Google Scholar
13Doll, R, Muir, CS, Waterhouse, JAH. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Geneva: Union Internationale Contre le Cancer, 1970:2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Waterhouse, J, Muir, CS, Correa, P, Powell, J. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Publications, 1976:3Google Scholar
15Waterhouse, J, Muir, CS, Shanmugaratnam, K, Powell, J. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Publications, 1982:4Google Scholar
16Parkin, DM, Whelan, SL, Ferlay, J, Teppo, L, Thomas, DB. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Publications, 2002:8Google Scholar
17Parkin, DM, Whelan, SL, Ferlay, J, Storm, H. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer CancerBase, 2005:1–8Google Scholar
18Curado, MP, Edwards, B, Shin, HR, Storm, H, Ferlay, J, Heanue, M et al. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Publications, 2007:9Google Scholar
19Jia, WH, Huang, QH, Liao, J, Ye, W, Shugart, YY, Liu, Q et al. Trends in incidence and mortality of nasopharyngeal carcinoma over 20–25 year period (1978/1983–2002) in Sihui and Cangwu counties in southern China. BMC Cancer 2006;6:178CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20Seow, A, Koh, WP, Chia, KS, Shi, LM, Lee, HP, Shanmugaratnam, K. Trends in Cancer Incidence in Singapore 1968–2002. Report No.6. Singapore: Singapore Cancer Registry, 2004Google Scholar
21Chen, CJ, You, SL, Lin, LH, Hsu, WL, Yang, YW. Cancer epidemiology and control in Taiwan: a brief review. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2002;32(suppl 1):66–81CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22Doll, R, Payne, P, Waterhouse, J. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents: a Technical Report. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1966:1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23Huang, XL, Wang, ZJ, Luo, FT, Hu, MX, Gu, XY, Gu, SJ et al. Epidemiologic investigation of nasopharyngeal cancer in migrants. Chin Med J 1982;95:757–61Google Scholar
24“The Times” Atlas of the World – Comprehensive Edition, 8th edn. London: Bartholemew and Times Books, 1990Google Scholar
25Lee, AWM, Foo, W, Mang, O, Sze, WM, Chappell, R, Lau, WH et al. Changing epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Hong Kong over a 20-year period (1980–99): an encouraging reduction in both incidence and mortality. Int J Cancer 2002;103:680–5Google Scholar
26Jin, F, Devesa, SS, Chow, WH, Zheng, W, Ji, BT, Fraumeni, JF Jr et al. Cancer incidence trends in urban Shanghai, 1972–1994: an update. Int J Cancer 1999;83:435–403.0.CO;2-J>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27Geser, A, Charnay, N, Day, NE, de The, G, Ho, HC. Environmental factors in the etiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: report on a case-control study in Hong Kong. In: de The, G, Ito, Y, eds. Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Etiology and Control. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Publications, 1978:213–19Google Scholar
28Yu, MC, Ho, JHC, Lai, SH, Henderson, BE. Cantonese-style salted fish as a cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: report of a case-control study in Hong Kong. Cancer Res 1986;46:956–61Google ScholarPubMed
29World Economic and Financial Surveys, World Economic Outlook: Database – WEO Groups and Aggregates Information. c2007. In: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2007/01/data/groups.htm#ae [20 February 2008]Google Scholar
30Country Classification September 2007 update. c2007. In: http://www.ftse.com/Indices/Country_Classification/Downloads/FTSE_Country_Classification_2007_Update.pdf [20 February 2008]Google Scholar
31Ho, JHC. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Adv Cancer Res 1972;15:547–82Google ScholarPubMed
32Lu, SJ, Day, NE, Degos, L, Lepage, V, Wang, P-C, Chan, S-H et al. Linkage of a nasopharyngeal carcinoma susceptibility locus to the HLA region. Nature 1990;346:470–1Google Scholar
33Hildesheim, A, Anderson, LM, Chen, CJ, Cheng, YJ, Brinton, LA, Daly, AK et al. CYP2E1 genetic polymorphisms and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Taiwan. J Natl Cancer Inst 1997;89:1207–12CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34Kongruttanachok, N, Sukdikul, S, Setavarin, S, Kerekhjanarong, V, Supiyaphun, P, Voravud, N et al. Cytochrome P450 2E1 polymorphism and nasopharyngeal carcinoma development in Thailand: a correlative study. BMC Cancer 2001;1:4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35Nazar-Stewart, V, Vaughan, TL, Burt, RD, Chen, C, Berwick, M, Swanson, GM. Glutathione S-transferase M1 and susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1999;8:547–51Google ScholarPubMed
36Cho, EY, Hildesheim, A, Chen, CJ, Hsu, MM, Chen, IH, Mittl, BF et al. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and genetic polymorphisms of DNA repair enzymes XRCC1 and hOGG1. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:1100–4Google ScholarPubMed
37Feng, BJ, Huang, W, Shugart, YY, Lee, MK, Zhang, F, Xia, JC et al. Genome-wide scan for familial nasopharyngeal carcinoma reveals evidence of linkage to chromosome 4. Nat Genet 2002;31:395–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38Xiong, W, Zeng, ZY, Xia, JH, Xia, K, Shen, SR, Li, XL et al. A susceptibility locus at chromosome 3p21 linked to familial nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer Res 2004;64:1972–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39Goldsmith, DB, West, TM, Morton, R. HLA associations with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Southern Chinese: a meta-analysis. Clin Otolaryngol 2002;27:61–7Google Scholar
40Hu, SP, Day, NE, Li, DR, Luben, RN, Cai, KL, Ou-Yang, T et al. Further evidence for an HLA-related recessive mutation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma among the Chinese. Br J Cancer 2005;92:967–70CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
41Armstrong, RW, Armstrong, MJ, Yu, MC, Henderson, BE. Salted fish and inhalants as risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Malaysian Chinese. Cancer Res 1983;43:2967–70Google ScholarPubMed
42Armstrong, RW, Imrey, PB, Lye, MS, Armstrong, MJ, Yu, MC, Sani, S. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Malaysian Chinese: salted fish and other dietary exposures. Int J Cancer 1998;77:228–35Google Scholar
43Yu, MC, Mo, C-C, Chong, W-X, Yeh, F-S, Henderson, BE. Preserved foods and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case-control study in GuangXi, China. Cancer Res 1988;48:1954–9Google Scholar
44Yu, MC, Huang, TB, Henderson, BE. Diet and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case-control study in Guangzhou, China. Int J Cancer 1989;43:1077–82Google Scholar
45Ning, JP, Yu, MC, Wang, QS, Henderson, BE. Consumption of salted fish and other risk factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Tianjin, a low-risk region for NPC in the People's Republic of China. J Natl Cancer Inst 1990;82:291–6Google Scholar
46Huang, DP, Ho, JHC, Webb, KS, Wood, BJ, Gough, TA. Volatile nitrosamines in salted-preserved fish before and after cooking. Fed Cosmet Toxicol 1981;19:167–71CrossRefGoogle Scholar
47Zou, XN, Lu, SH, Liu, B. Volatile N-nitrosamines and their precursors on Chinese salted-fish – a possible etiological factor for NPC in China. Int J Cancer 1994;59:155–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
48Shao, YM, Poirer, S, Ohshima, H, Malaveille, C, Zeng, Y, de The, G et al. Epstein-Barr virus activation in Raji cells by extracts of preserved food from high risk areas of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Carcinogenesis 1988;9:1455–7Google Scholar
49Armstrong, RW, Imrey, PB, Lye, MS, Armstong, MJ, Yu, MC, Sani, S. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Malaysian Chinese: occupational exposures to particles, formaldehyde and heat. Int J Epidemiol 2000;29:991–8Google Scholar
50Yu, MC, Garabran, DH, Huang, TB, Henderson, BE. Occupational and other nondietary risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Guangzhou. China Int J Cancer 1990;45:1033–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
51Schoenotol, R, Gibbard, S. Cancinogens in Chinese incense smoke. Nature 1967;216:612Google Scholar
52Yang, CR, Lin, TC, Chang, F-H. Particle size distribution and PAH concentrations of incense smoke in a combustion chamber. Environmental Pollution 2007;145:606–15CrossRefGoogle Scholar
53Lin, TC, Yang, CR, Chang, F-H. Burning characteristics and emission products related to metallic content in incense. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2007;140:165–1Google Scholar
54Raab-Traub, N. Epstein – Barr virus in the pathogenesis of NPC. Semin Cancer Biol 2002;12:431–41CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
55Lung, ML, Chang, GC, Miller, TR, Wara, WM, Phillips, TL. Genotypic analysis of Epstein-Barr virus isolates associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese immigrants to the United States. Int J Cancer 1994;59:743–6Google Scholar