Latest news with #hepatitis
The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
Why are there still hepatitis C deaths?
Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind.
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Business Standard
17 hours ago
- Health
- Business Standard
Many liver cancer cases can be prevented by addressing hepatitis: Study
More than three of every five liver cancer cases in the world can be prevented by addressing risk factors, such as hepatitis, alcohol habits and non-alcoholic fatty liver conditions, according to an analysis report of The Lancet Commission on the fatal disease. 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.
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Obesity fuels surge in liver cancer
Obesity is helping to fuel a surge in liver cancer cases around the world, academics have warned. The number of new cases of liver cancer globally is set to double from 0.87 million in 2022 to 1.52 million in 2050, according to projections published as part of a new Lancet Commission on Liver Cancer paper. A team of experts, led by academics in Hong Kong, said the proportion of liver cancers caused by the disease's most common cause – the Hepatitis B virus – is set to reduce over the coming years. Cases caused by the Hepatitis C virus are also expected to decline proportionately. However, liver cancer cases caused by alcohol and obesity are set to increase. Experts predicted that by 2050, some 21 per cent of liver cancers will be caused by alcohol. And 11 per cent will be caused by a severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) – known as fatty liver disease, where excessive fat builds up in a person's liver. The severe form of this condition is called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. The research team points out that 60 per cent of liver cancers are preventable. The researchers also said that global deaths from liver cancer are expected to rise from 760,000 in 2022 to 1.37 million in 2050. 'These data suggest that preventive measures targeting a comprehensive number of risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma are sorely needed,' the team of experts wrote. The main treatment for MASLD is a balanced diet, being physically active and potentially losing weight. Prof Jian Zhou, chairman of the commission from Fudan University in China, said: 'Liver cancer is a growing health issue around the world. 'It is one of the most challenging cancers to treat, with five-year survival rates ranging from approximately five per cent to 30 per cent. 'We risk seeing close to a doubling of cases and deaths from liver cancer over the next quarter of a century without urgent action to reverse this trend.' Professor Stephen Chan, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who was the first author of the study, added: 'As three in five cases of liver cancer are linked to preventable risk factors, mostly viral hepatitis, alcohol and obesity, there is a huge opportunity for countries to target these risk factors, prevent cases of liver cancer and save lives.' Commenting on the study, Pamela Healy, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, said: 'Liver cancer is the fastest-rising cause of cancer death in the UK, and just 13 per cent of people diagnosed will survive for five years or more. 'We know that the biggest risk factors are having pre-existing liver cirrhosis or viral hepatitis, and this new analysis highlights that MASLD, also known as fatty liver disease, is expected to be linked to an increasing number of cases. 'As well as improving early detection through surveillance of people with cirrhosis, it is essential that we tackle these underlying causes and prioritise public health. 'By supporting people to maintain a healthy weight, cut down on alcohol and get tested and treated for hepatitis, we can prevent many cases of liver cancer and save lives.' In 2022, some 64 per cent of adults in England were estimated to be overweight or obese.
Malay Mail
17 hours ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Global liver cancer cases set to nearly double by 2050 without action, study warns
PARIS, July 29 — The number of people with liver cancer will nearly double worldwide by 2050 unless more is done to address preventable causes such as obesity, alcohol consumption and hepatitis, a study warned today. New cases of liver cancer—the sixth most common form of the disease—will rise to 1.52 million a year from 870,000 if current trends continue, according to data from the Global Cancer Observatory published in the Lancet medical journal. It is also the third deadliest of all cancers, with the study predicting it would take 1.37 million lives by the middle of the century. However three out of five cases of liver cancer could be prevented, the international team of experts said. The risk factors are drinking alcohol, viral hepatitis and a build-up of fat in the liver linked to obesity called MASLD, which was previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The viruses that cause hepatitis B and C are expected to remain the leading causes of liver cancer in 2050, according to the study, published on World Hepatitis Day. Vaccination at birth is the best way to prevent hepatitis B, but vaccine coverage remains low in poorer countries including in sub-Saharan Africa, the study said. Unless vaccination rates are increased, hepatitis B is expected to kill 17 million people between 2015 and 2030, it added. Alcohol consumption is estimated to cause more than 21 percent of all cases of liver cancer by 2050, up more than two percentage points from 2022. Cancer due to obesity-linked fat in livers will rise to 11 percent, also up more than two percentage points, the researchers calculated. The large-scale study, which reviewed the available evidence on the subject, underscored 'the urgent need for global action' on liver cancer, the authors said. The experts called for more public awareness about the preventable danger of liver cancer, particularly by warning people with obesity or diabetes about fatty-liver disease in the United States, Europe and Asia.— AFP
Al Arabiya
20 hours ago
- Health
- Al Arabiya
Liver cancer to double worldwide, most of it preventable: Study
The number of people with liver cancer will nearly double worldwide by 2050 unless more is done to address preventable causes such as obesity, alcohol consumption, and hepatitis, a study warned Tuesday. New cases of liver cancer—the sixth most common form of the disease—will rise to 1.52 million a year from 870,000 if current trends continue, according to data from the Global Cancer Observatory published in The Lancet medical journal. It is also the third deadliest of all cancers, with the study predicting it would take 1.37 million lives by the middle of the century. However, three out of five cases of liver cancer could be prevented, the international team of experts said. The risk factors are drinking alcohol, viral hepatitis, and a buildup of fat in the liver linked to obesity called MASLD, which was previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The viruses that cause hepatitis B and C are expected to remain the leading causes of liver cancer in 2050, according to the study, published on World Hepatitis Day. Vaccination at birth is the best way to prevent hepatitis B, but vaccine coverage remains low in poorer countries, including in sub-Saharan Africa, the study said. Unless vaccination rates are increased, hepatitis B is expected to kill 17 million people between 2015 and 2030, it added. Alcohol consumption is estimated to cause more than 21 percent of all cases of liver cancer by 2050, up more than two percentage points from 2022. Cancer due to obesity-linked fat in the liver will rise to 11 percent, also up more than two percentage points, the researchers calculated. The large-scale study, which reviewed the available evidence on the subject, underscored 'the urgent need for global action' on liver cancer, the authors said. The experts called for more public awareness about the preventable danger of liver cancer, particularly by warning people with obesity or diabetes about fatty-liver disease in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
