A widening disparity: rising liver cancer rates among those living in poverty
Incidence of liver cancer is higher in those living in deprived areas of England, new research from Liver Cancer UK reveals.
An analysis of NHS data from 2020 shows that not only is incidence higher, but incidence is rising dramatically across the country, particularly in areas of economic deprivation, thus increasing the disparity between liver cancer incidences.
Liver cancer is particularly challenging to diagnose because the symptoms associated with the disease are often not unique to liver cancer. Such symptoms could include fatigue, unintended weight loss, swelling or pain in the abdomen and jaundice. Diagnosis often does not happen until the cancer is too advanced to treat, with 44.9% of liver cancers being diagnosed in an emergency setting such as an A&E department. Hence, population-based studies are vital for scientists to determine who is at a higher risk of developing liver cancer, so early diagnosis and treatment opportunities are viable.
The rate of liver cancer has seen a dramatic increase in the past decade, with a 45% increase in the number of incidence and a 40% increase in the number of deaths. Approximately 16 people die from liver cancer every day, which equates to around 6000 deaths per year.
In England, liver cancer incidence is higher in men (n=800) and women (n=370) from the most deprived areas of the country. This is around double the rate compared to men and women living in the least deprived areas. Looking regionally, the data revealed that the Northwest of England had the highest rate of liver cancer cases in the country in both men and women, whilst the lowest rate was observed in the East of England.
This data reinforces previous research which has found a strong link between poverty and the incidence of several cancer types. The latest statistics demonstrate that cancer mortality rate decreases consistently from most deprived to least deprived.
This study highlights the importance of ongoing surveillance to determine liver cancer risk among the population.
Source: https://livercanceruk.org/news/dramatic-rise-in-liver-cancer-linked-to-poverty/
