Contrasting Trends of Primary Liver Cancer Mortality in Chinese Mongol and Non-Mongol

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the temporal trend as well as the burden of primary liver cancer among Mongol and non-Mongol in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The registered data from up to 20 monitoring points in the periods of 2008 to 2015 in Inner Mongolia were used to calculate and model the trend of liver cancer among Mongol and non-Mongol using log-linear regression. Logistic regression was used to characterise the risk of liver cancer by using hospitalization records from 2008 to 2017. RESULTS: Over the study period, significant reduction of liver cancer mortality was found among non-Mongol population (4.8/100,000 from 23.7/100,000 to 18.9/100,000, p=0.04), while the increase of liver cancer mortality was observed among the Mongolian population (8.4/100,000 from 10.7/100,000 to 19.1/100,000, p=0.02), particularly the Mongol from East (25.5/100,000 from 11.2/100,000 to 36.7/100,000, p=0.005). Comparing to the non-Mongol patients with primary liver cancer, the Mongolian patients were more likely to be from East Inner Mongolia (aOR=3.65, 95% CI:2.75-4.87) and those residing in urban area (aOR=2.11, 95%CI: 1.55-2.91). In 2015, a total of 3056 primary liver cancer deaths could be converted if the four known risk factors (HBV, Hepatitis C Virus, alcohol consumption and smoking) could be prevented. HBV remained to be the leading risk factor of liver cancer (PAF=56%, contributing to 2616 deaths) with the highest among the Mongol from East (PAF=65.1%, contributing to 763 deaths). CONCLUSION: The continuing increase of primary liver cancer among Mongol suggested further interventions were needed to combat its burden.