Global Liver Cancer Cases Could Double by 2050, Study Warns

Global Liver Cancer Cases Could Double by 2050, Study Warns

 

Liver cancer cases are projected to nearly double worldwide by 2050 if urgent action is not taken to tackle preventable risk factors. A new study has raised concerns over rising cases linked to obesity, alcohol use, and viral hepatitis.

The research, published in the Lancet medical journal, estimates that new cases will surge from 870,000 a year to 1.52 million if current trends persist. Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer globally and the third deadliest, with deaths expected to reach 1.37 million annually by mid-century.

Health experts say that around 60 percent of these cases can be avoided through preventive measures. The main contributors are chronic alcohol consumption, hepatitis B and C infections, and a fatty liver condition related to obesity, known as MASLD.

The study, released on World Hepatitis Day, highlights that hepatitis viruses will remain the leading cause of liver cancer by 2050. Although hepatitis B can be prevented with a birth-dose vaccine, immunization rates remain critically low in many low-income countries, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa. Without improved vaccination efforts, hepatitis B could claim an estimated 17 million lives between 2015 and 2030.

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Alcohol-related liver cancer cases are projected to rise to more than 21 percent of global cases by 2050, up from 19 percent in 2022. Meanwhile, obesity-driven fatty liver disease is expected to account for 11 percent of cases, also an increase over the same period.

The authors of the large-scale study called for immediate global action. They stressed the importance of increasing public awareness, improving vaccination programs, and warning individuals with obesity or diabetes about the dangers of fatty liver disease. The report emphasized that tackling these preventable risks could significantly reduce the future burden of liver cancer worldwide.

 

 

CONTENT CREDIT: BLESSING DADA

IMAGE CREDIT: GOOGLE.COM