The number of liver cancer cases worldwide is projected to nearly double by 2050 unless greater efforts are made to tackle preventable causes such as obesity, alcohol use, and hepatitis, according to a study released Tuesday.
New annual liver cancer diagnoses—the sixth most common cancer globally—are expected to rise from 870,000 to 1.52 million if current trends persist, based on data from the Global Cancer Observatory published in The Lancet medical journal.
Liver cancer is also the third deadliest cancer, with the study predicting it will claim 1.37 million lives annually by mid-century.
However, the international research team emphasized that three out of every five liver cancer cases could be prevented.
Key risk factors include alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a fat buildup in the liver linked to obesity, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The study, published on World Hepatitis Day, projects that hepatitis B and C viruses will remain the leading causes of liver cancer by 2050.
Vaccination at birth is the most effective prevention method for hepatitis B, yet coverage remains low in poorer regions, including sub-Saharan Africa.
Without improved vaccination rates, hepatitis B could cause 17 million deaths between 2015 and 2030.
Alcohol is estimated to contribute to over 21% of liver cancer cases by 2050—an increase of more than two percentage points since 2022.
Obesity-related liver cancer is also expected to rise to 11% of cases, similarly increasing by over two percentage points.
This comprehensive study highlights the urgent need for global action on liver cancer.
The authors call for increased public awareness about the preventable risks, especially advising individuals with obesity or diabetes in the U.S., Europe, and Asia about the dangers of fatty liver disease.
0 Comments