Changing global epidemiology of liver cancer from 2010 to 2019: NASH is the fastest growing cause of liver cancer

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

doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2022.05.003

Changing global epidemiology of liver cancer from 2010 to 2019: NASH is the fastest growing cause of liver cancer

Cell Metab. 2022 Jul 5;34(7):969-977.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.05.003. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Authors

Daniel Q Huang¹, Amit G Singal², Yuko Kono³, Darren J H Tan⁴, Hashem B El-Serag⁵, Rohit Loomba⁶

Affiliations

¹ NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
² Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
³ Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt), Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Section of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
⁶ NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. Electronic address: roloomba@ucsd.edu.

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.

Keywords: alcohol; epidemiology; etiology; hepatitis B; hepatitis C; hepatocellular carcinoma; hepatoma; liver cancer; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Hepatitis C* / complications
Humans
Liver Neoplasms* / epidemiology
Liver Neoplasms* / etiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / complications
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / epidemiology
Obesity / complications
Obesity / epidemiology
Risk Factors
United States

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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