Study Finds Over 60% of Liver Cancer Cases Preventable by Tackling Hepatitis and Alcohol

New Delhi: A new study from The Lancet Commission reveals that more than 60% of liver cancer cases worldwide could be prevented by targeting modifiable risk factors such as hepatitis infections, alcohol consumption, and metabolic liver diseases. The report was authored by an international team of researchers from The Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Fudan University, and institutions across China, South Korea, the US, and Europe.

The study highlights the growing threat of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe form of fatty liver disease caused by excess fat in the liver. Researchers predict a 35% increase in liver cancer cases driven primarily by this condition.

Liver cancer ranks among the top three causes of cancer-related deaths in 46 countries, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Hepatology. The Lancet Commission warns that a rising global population combined with increasing rates of obesity, alcohol use, and viral hepatitis could cause liver cancer cases to surge by 55% by 2040.

“The Lancet Commission's findings present a huge opportunity for countries to target risk factors such as viral hepatitis, alcohol and obesity to prevent liver cancer and save lives,” said Professor Stephen Chan, first author of the report and clinical oncology professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The report calls for increased public, medical, and political awareness of fatty liver conditions, especially in people with diabetes and obesity in the US, Europe, and Asia.

To reduce liver cancer cases, the commission recommends intensified vaccination and screening for hepatitis B and C, stricter alcohol control policies, and increased investment in public awareness campaigns and early detection.

The report also emphasizes the need for integrating palliative care early in the treatment process to improve the quality of life for patients with advanced liver cancer.

“We estimated that at least 60 per cent of liver cancers are preventable via control of modifiable risk factors, including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and alcohol,” the report stated.

With a targeted global reduction of 2–5% in new liver cancer cases annually, the commission estimates that up to 17 million cases and 15 million deaths could be prevented worldwide.

(With the inputs from PTI)