Changing Global Epidemiology of Liver Cancer from 2010 to 2019: NASH Is the Fastest Growing Cause of Liver Cancer

Authors

Daniel Q Huang
Amit G Singal
Yuko Kono
Darren J H Tan
Hashem B El-Serag
Rohit Loomba

Publication Date

7-5-2022

Journal

Cell Metabolism

DOI

10.1016/j.cmet.2022.05.003

PMID

35793659

PMCID

PMC9762323

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

12-19-2022

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Published Open-Access

yes

Keywords

Hepatitis C, Humans, Liver Neoplasms, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Obesity, Risk Factors, United States

Abstract

Liver cancer epidemiology is changing due to increasing alcohol consumption, rising prevalence of obesity, and advances in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. However, the impact of these changes on global liver cancer burden remains unclear. We estimated global and regional temporal trends in the burden of liver cancer and the contributions of various liver disease etiologies using the methodology framework of the Global Burden of Disease study. Between 2010 and 2019, there was a 25% increase in liver cancer deaths. Age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) increased only in the Americas and remained stable or fell in all other regions. Between 2010 and 2019, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and alcohol had the fastest growing ASDRs, while HCV and HBV declined. Urgent measures are required at a global level to tackle underlying metabolic risk factors and slow the growing burden of NASH-associated liver cancer, especially in the Americas.