The impact of liver cancer differs globally. For a study, researchers sought to report updated estimates of the incidence and mortality of liver cancer worldwide as well as projections of the disease’s incidence and mortality through 2040.
We took information on primary liver cancer cases and fatalities from the GLOBOCAN 2020 database, which includes information from 185 nations. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates (ASRs) were computed per 100,000 person-years. Based on incidence and mortality rates for 2020 and worldwide population estimates to 2040, cases and deaths up to that year were expected.
In 2020, 830,200 individuals worldwide died from liver cancer, and an estimated 905,700 more received a diagnosis. The greatest ASRs for liver cancer worldwide were in Eastern Asia (17.8 new cases, 16.1 deaths), Northern Africa (15.2 new cases, 14.5 deaths), and South-Eastern Asia. The global ASR for liver cancer was 9.5 and 8.7 for new cases and deaths, respectively (13.7 new cases, 13.2 deaths). In 46 countries, liver cancer was one of the top three cancer killers, and it was one of the top five killers in 90 other nations. Males had greater ASRs for incidence and death than females across all global areas (male: female ASR ratio ranged between 1.2–3.6). Between 2020 and 2040, there would likely be 1.4 million new instances of liver cancer diagnosed, a rise in the number of new cases each year of 55.0%. In 2040, 1.3 million deaths from liver cancer were anticipated (56.4% higher than in 2020).
In many nations, liver cancer is a leading cause of mortality, and more individuals were expected to be diagnosed with it in the future. The incidence of avoidable liver cancer should be decreased as a top priority.
Reference: journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278(22)03022-7/fulltext
