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Many liver cancer cases can be prevented by addressing hepatitis: Study
Researchers from The Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Fudan University, and others in China, South Korea, the US and Europe authored the report.
The team predicted a 35 per cent increase in liver cancer driven by a severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease that is caused by excess fat in the liver and called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
Liver cancer is among the top three types of cancer deaths in 46 countries, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Hepatology.
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 first author Stephen Chan, a professor at the department of clinical oncology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The authors of the report said that an increased public, medical and political awareness on the rising risk of fatty liver conditions, with a focus on people having diabetes and obesity, especially in the US, Europe and Asia, is needed.
A growing population, combined with an increasing prevalence of risk factors, is expected to drive a rise in cases of liver cancer globally, with studies projecting an around 55 per cent rise in such cases by 2040.
The commission report sets a target of reducing yearly cases by two per cent to five per cent -- potentially preventing up to 17 million liver cancer cases and up to 15 million deaths, it said.
Intensified efforts to increase vaccination and screening for hepatitis B and C, along with policies restricting alcohol consumption, are among the strategies that the report recommends.
It also suggested an increased investment by national health authorities and cancer control programmes in public awareness campaigns and early detection of cases.
Palliative (pain-related) care training should be provided to staff at hospitals and professional organisations, and should be integrated in the early phases for patients in need, the report said.
"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.
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Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Hepatitis A surges with monsoon: What tests to do, what vaccines to take and how to keep the virus at bay
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A person should ideally go to a doctor before this happens,' says Dr Tickoo. Why a test matters The overlapping symptoms, which can be caused by other gastrointestinal infections, are the reason that doctors go in for tests to be sure. As Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant of internal medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi, says, 'During this season, you would either see food and water-borne infections, vector-borne infections and some respiratory infections. Usually, patients coming in with symptoms such as loose motions, vomiting, loss of appetite have gastrointestinal diseases such as hepatitis A, E, gastroenteritis or typhoid. High fever, headache and body ache would usually be the symptoms in patients with vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria or chikungunya.' Dr Tickoo usually gets such patients tested for complete blood count, liver enzyme and C-reactive protein, the last indicative of the inflammation in the body. 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She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Liver cancer cases to double by 2050: Mega study reveals how to lower the burden
Liver cancer is one of the world's most common and deadly forms of cancer. It is currently the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths have now predicted that the number of new liver cancer cases could almost double by 2050, if nothing is done to control it, according to a latest study published in The 2022, around 8.7 lakh new cases of liver cancer were recorded worldwide. If current trends continue, that number may reach 1.52 crore (15.2 million) by 2050. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which makes up about 80% of all liver cancer tackle this growing health crisis, a group of doctors, public health experts, and researchers came together to find ways to reduce the number of new expert group looked at past data, conducted detailed studies, and even created models to understand how the disease might spread in the of the most important findings from their work is that to stop liver cancer cases from rising, the world needs to reduce new cases by at least 2% every areas where progress has already started, the researchers say we should aim even higher — at a 5% yearly this 2–5% annual drop is achieved and maintained over the next 25 years, the benefits could be study estimates that between 88 lakh to 1.73 crore (8.8 to 17.3 million) new cases of liver cancer could be avoided. More importantly, between 77 lakh to 1.51 crore (7.7 to 15.1 million) lives could be to the researchers, the study helps nations understand that major risk factors such as viral hepatitis, alcohol consumption and obesity need to be dealt with if they want to see lower cases of liver authors said that an increased public, medical and political awareness on the rising risk of fatty liver conditions, with a focus on people having diabetes and obesity, especially in the US, Europe and Asia, is hope that there are intensified efforts to increase vaccination drives against hepatitis B and C along with policies to restrict the consumption of alcohol."We estimated that at least 60% 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 expert group hopes this new information will push countries to take liver cancer more seriously and act quickly to prevent it from becoming an even bigger global health problem.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
4 days ago
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Liver Cancer: Obesity-related liver cancer cases to rise over 10% by 2050; Here's how to prevent it
The latest health warning regarding liver cancer has arrived with grim news and a hopeful silver lining. According to data published in the Lancet Commission on Liver Cancer , the number of new liver cancer cases is expected to increase from 870,000 in 2022 to 1.52 million in 2050, with obesity being the key contributing factor behind the surge. At the same time, deaths from liver cancer are set to rise from 760,000 to 1.37 million, making it one of the fastest-growing causes of cancer-related death worldwide. That's the alarming backdrop behind the growing toll of obesity-related liver cancer, especially metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as NAFLD. However, the same study has also revealed that at least 60% of liver cancers could be preventable: lifestyle changes, vaccination, early detection, and public policy could avert up to 17 million cases and save 15 million lives by mid-century. Obesity's role in liver cancer: What does the study say The recent Lancet Commission report highlights MASLD, fatty liver linked to metabolic dysfunction, as a rapidly growing cause of liver cancer. The share of cases tied to MASLD (specifically MASH, the inflammatory form) is projected to rise from 8% in 2022 to 11% by 2050. Earlier meta-analyses show that higher BMI significantly increases liver cancer risk, with hazard ratios up to 3.1 in people with obesity versus healthy weight. In fact, years of data reveal that in men and women, roughly 28% of liver cancer cases are attributable to excess weight. DALYs (disability-adjusted life years) tied to high BMI surged globally from 292,700 in 1990 to over 1.2 million by 2021, a nearly 323% increase. The trend, as per research , is particularly steep in middle and low-middle social development index regions, where metabolic risk factors are accelerating faster than public health responses. The projected rise: What the numbers warn us The Lancet Commission projects nearly 1.52 million liver cancer cases by 2050, with deaths increasing from about 760,000 in 2022 to 1.37 million. Another major modeling study, published in Nature last year, put new cases at around 1.39 million by 2040, a 54% rise from 2020 levels. This rise is being propelled by avoidable risk factors: obesity, alcohol use, and viral hepatitis. While hepatitis-related cases are expected to decline slightly, obesity-linked liver cancers are on the rise across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. What is liver cancer? Liver cancer is a disease where malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the liver. It can be either primary liver cancer, which originates in the liver, or secondary liver cancer, which spreads to the liver from another part of the body. The most common type of primary liver cancer in adults is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There are several types of liver cancer: Primary liver cancer: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): The most common type, originating in hepatocytes (main liver cells). Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Develops in the bile ducts within the liver. Angiosarcoma/Hemangiosarcoma: Rare, fast-growing cancers originating in the liver's blood vessels. Hepatoblastoma: A rare type primarily affecting children. Secondary liver cancer: Cancers that spread to the liver from other organs, like the colon, lung, or breast. Risk factors: Several risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing liver cancer. These include chronic hepatitis B and C infections, heavy alcohol consumption, obesity, and exposure to certain chemicals like aflatoxins. Additionally, conditions like cirrhosis, inherited liver diseases, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can also elevate the risk. Lifestyle factors like heavy alcohol consumption and smoking are associated with a higher risk of liver cancer, often leading to cirrhosis and potentially causing HCC. Besides, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), where fat accumulates in the liver without excessive alcohol use, are also linked to increased liver cancer risk. Why is liver cancer so deadly? Liver cancer is often deadly due to a combination of factors, including late-stage diagnosis, limited treatment options, and the liver's vital role in the body. Many cases are discovered after the cancer has already spread, and the liver's complex function makes treatment challenging. Moreover, liver cancer is highly aggressive, especially once MASLD progresses to MASH (steatohepatitis) and then cirrhosis or carcinoma, and there are only limited treatment options for liver cancer, with 5-year survival rates generally under 30%. As per research, three in five liver cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors, and global prevention strategies could reduce incidence rates annually by 2–5%, averting millions of cases and deaths. Experts' take Professor Jian Zhou of Fudan University, who chaired the study, emphasized the need for global action. 'Liver cancer is one of the most challenging cancers to treat, with five-year survival rates ranging from just 5% to 30%. Without urgent action, we risk seeing a near-doubling of cases and deaths in just 25 years,' he told NBC News. Professor Stephen Chan from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, lead author of the study, echoed this sentiment, saying, 'Three in five liver cancer cases are caused by preventable risk factors, mainly viral hepatitis, alcohol, and obesity. This presents a huge opportunity to intervene, save lives, and reduce healthcare burdens worldwide.' Prevention: Lifestyle choices that could make a difference Despite the concerning projected rise, one of the most highlighted findings from the Commission: 60% of liver cancer cases are preventable. Small steps go a long way and pave the path for liver cancer prevention. Maintain a healthy weight and active lifestyle: Adopt a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, as recommended by the World Cancer Research Fund. Regular physical activity, as little as 30 minutes a day, can help manage weight, reduce inflammation, and improve liver health. Screening and early detection: Individuals with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or elevated liver enzymes should get regular check-ups. Early detection of MASLD or MASH enables intervention before progression to cancer. Vaccination against Hepatitis B (and HCV management): Universal HBV vaccination, especially at birth, has dramatically reduced virus-linked liver cancer. While no HCV vaccine is available yet, antiviral treatments significantly lower the risk for infected individuals. Limit alcohol and sugary drink intake: Alcohol is a known carcinogen tied to about 19% of global liver cancer deaths; excess sugars and processed foods fuel obesity and fatty liver, both risk multipliers. Weight loss interventions for high BMI: For individuals with Class II obesity or metabolic syndrome, interventions from dietary change to bariatric surgery may reduce MASLD and liver cancer risk. Surgery has shown about 92% resolution of steatosis in many cases. Breast Self-exam: Right way to check for lumps and other changes
