Liver cancer cases are expected to rise dramatically, primarily driven by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, a recent study found.
The study, published March 31 in Portal Hypertension & Cirrhosis, analyzed data from global cancer databases including GLOBOCAN 2022 and the Global Burden of Disease study, and compared it to epidemiological, demographic and etiological risk factor data. The research was conducted by scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both based in Boston, in collaboration with Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University in China.
Here are three findings:
1. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates declined slightly between 1990 and 2021, but the absolute number of liver cancer cases is projected to rise to more than 1.5 million per year by 2050.
2. The rise in cases was largely driven by increased prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. With the widespread use of vaccines and antiviral therapies for traditional causes, such as hepatitis infections, metabolic risk factors are becoming a dominant driver.
3. Liver cancer risk was highest among men, older adults and those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.
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