Cancer Research and Treatment

Original Articles

General

Health Inequities in Cancer Incidence According to Economic Status and Regions Are Still Existed Even under Universal Health Coverage System in Korea: A Nationwide Population Based Study Using the National Health Insurance Database: Youngs Chang, Soo-Hee Hwang, Sang-A Cho, Hyejin Lee, Eunbyul Cho, Jin Yong Lee; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(2):380-403. Published online December 6, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2023.650

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Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the level of health equity in relation to cancer incidence.
Materials and Methods
We used the National Health Insurance claims data of the National Health Insurance Service between 2005 and 2022 and annual health insurance and medical aid beneficiaries between 2011 and 2021 to investigate the disparities of cancer incidence. We calculated age-sex standardized cancer incidence rates by cancer and year according to the type of insurance and the trend over time using the annual percentage change. We also compared the hospital type of the first diagnosis by cancer type and year and cancer incidence rates by cancer type and region in 2021 according to the type of insurance.
Results
The total cancer incidence increased from 255,971 in 2011 to 325,772 cases in 2021. The absolute difference of total cancer incidence rate between the NHI beneficiaries and the medical aid (MA) recipients increased from 510.1 cases per 100,000 population to 536.9 cases per 100,000 population. The odds ratio of total cancer incidence for the MA recipients increased from 1.79 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77 to 1.82) to 1.90 (95% CI, 1.88 to 1.93). Disparities in access to hospitals and regional cancer incidence were profound.
Conclusion
This study examined health inequities in relation to cancer incidence over the last decade. Cancer incidence was higher in the MA recipients, and the gap was widening. We also found that regional differences in cancer incidence still exist and are getting worse. Investigating these disparities between the NHI beneficiaries and the MA recipients is crucial for implementing of public health policies to reduce health inequities.

Citations

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National Expenditures on Anticancer and Immunomodulating Agents During 2013–2022 in Korea
Jieun Yun, Youngs Chang, Minsol Jo, Yerin Heo, Dong-Sook Kim
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
A 5-Year Mortality Prediction Model for Prostate Cancer Patients Based on the Korean Nationwide Health Insurance Claims Database
Joungyoun Kim, Yong-Hoon Kim, Yong-June Kim, Hee-Taik Kang
Journal of Personalized Medicine.2024; 14(10): 1058. CrossRef

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Head and Neck cancer

Effect of National Oral Health Screening Program on the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Korean National Population-Based Study: Chan Woo Wee, Hyo-Jung Lee, Jae-Ryun Lee, Hyejin Lee, Min-Jeong Kwoen, Woo-Jin Jeong, Keun-Yong Eom; Cancer Res Treat. 2022;54(3):709-718. Published online October 22, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2021.834

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Purpose
Poor oral health is associated with head and neck cancer (HNC). We evaluated whether a national oral health screening program (OHSP) could reduce the risk of HNC.
Materials and Methods
Data from 408,247 healthy individuals aged ≥ 40 years from the National Health Insurance System-National Health Screening program during 2003 and 2004 in Korea were analyzed. The risk of HNC was compared between subjects who underwent OHSP (HEALS-Dental+, n=165,292) and routine health check-ups only (HEALS-Dental‒, n=242,955). The impact of individual oral health-related factors on HNC risk was evaluated in HEALS-Dental+.
Results
A total of 1,650 HNC cases were diagnosed. The 10-year HNC-free rate was 99.684% with a median follow-up of 11 years. The risk of all HNC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 1.29; p=0.011) and oropharyngeal cancer (HR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.94; p=0.005) was significantly higher in HEALS-Dental‒ than in HEALS-Dental+. In HEALS-Dental+, oral cavity cancer was marginally reduced (p=0.085), and missing teeth was a significant factor for HNC (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.50; p=0.032). Toothbrushing was a significant factor in univariate analysis (p=0.028), but not in multivariate analysis (p=0.877).
Conclusion
The National OHSP significantly reduced the long-term HNC risk, particularly the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer. Routine OHSP should be considered at the population level.

Citations

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Gold Nanoparticles Enhance the Tumor Growth-Suppressing Effects of Cetuximab and Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo
Takumi Sato, Yasumasa Kakei, Takumi Hasegawa, Masahiko Kashin, Shun Teraoka, Akinobu Yamaguchi, Ryohei Sasaki, Masaya Akashi
Cancers.2023; 15(23): 5697. CrossRef

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