CLD was related to over 1.3 million deaths in 2017, mainly among men, and associated with an increasing incidence of obesity and alcohol consumption.1 The absolute number of CLD cases is estimated at 1.5 billion worldwide, with the most common causes of disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (59%), infection with viral Hepatitis (HBV or HCV) (38%), and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) (2%).1
People with undiagnosed CLD can silently progress to liver cirrhosis, placing them at high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); up to 10% of people with liver cirrhosis may progress to HCC.2,9 Cirrhosis and liver cancer account for 3.5% of all deaths worldwide.6
Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide12 and is a complex, deadly disease.9 Potential curative options exist for patients in early settings;13 however, early HCC remains an area of high unmet need.9,14
Third leading cause of cancer death: HCC comprises approximately 90% of all liver cancers and is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide.9 In 2020, there were an estimated 900,000 new liver cancer cases (75% increase from 1990) and 830,000 cancer-related deaths worldwide.12 The most significant increases in liver cancer-related mortality were in North America, Europe, and Australia.6
Rising Global incidence: Despite advances in treatment options,13 the global incidence and mortality of HCC continue to rise6 and constitute a worldwide health challenge.9 By 2025, over 1 million patients per year will receive an HCC diagnosis compared with 840,000 in 2018 – a relative increase of almost 20%.9,12 Global deaths from liver cancer are predicted to increase by more than 50% by 2040.12
1. Cheemerla S. and Balakrishnan M. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken) 2021;17:365–70.
2. Macpherson I, et al. Frontline Gastroenterol 2022;13:367–73.
3. American Liver Foundation. How Many People Have Liver Disease?Available at: https://liverfoundation.org/about-your-liver/facts-about-liver-disease/how-many-people-have-liver-disease/ [accessed August 2023].
4. Sharma A, et al. Chronic Liver Disease. [Updated 2022 Jul 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554597/
5. Carol M, et al. PLoS ONE 2022;17(4):e0265153.
6. Moon AM, et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020;18:2650–66.
7. Schomerus G, et al. J Hepatol 2022;77:516–24.
8. Vaughn-Sandler V, et al. Dig Dis Sci 2014;59(3):681–6.
9. Llovet JM, et al. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021;7(1):6.
10. Marquardt JU, et al. Nat Rev Cancer 2015;15(11):653–67.
11. Pinter M, et al. ESMO Open 2016;1:e000042.
12. Rumgay H, et al. J Hepatol 2022;77:1598–1606.
13. Zhu X-D, et al. Genes & Diseases 2020;7:359–69.
14. Minami Y, et al. Hepatobiliary Surg Nutr. 2019;8(4):414–6.
15. Vogel A, et al. Ann Oncol 2021;32(6):801–5.
16. Reig M, et al. J Hepatol 2022;76:681–93.
17. Ginès P, et al. Hepatology 2022;75(1):219–22.
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