Liver cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and one of the fastest rising cancers in Canada. Most Canadians don’t know enough about their risk and how to prevent it according to a report released by the Canadian Cancer Society.
The rate of liver cancer has tripled in Canadian men since 1970. Among women it has doubled. About 1,000 people died from it each year. Around the world liver cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer death accounting for about 700,000 fatalities annually.
The prognosis is poor for those with liver cancer with a 5-year relative survival rate of only 20 per cent.
Chronic hepatitis B and C infections are the main risk factors for liver cancer. About 600,000 Canadians are infected and many don’t know it. Newcomers to Canada are more likely than native born to be infected with hepatitis and thus have a higher risk of developing liver cancer.
Several risk factors
Hepatitis can be sexually transmitted and is more prevalent among drug users. Because the 1960s and 70s were a period of freer sexual activity and drug use, it could be that we are seeing higher rates of cancer that have taken this much time to develop from chronic hepatitis infections.
Heavy alcohol use, obesity, diabetes, smoking and several other factors are also associated with a higher risk of developing this type of malignancy. Statistically, aboriginals tend to have more of these risk factors.
Liver cancer is difficult to detect since symptoms do not appear until the disease is too far advanced to successfully treat.
Canadians need to have a greater awareness of the risks for liver cancer and to discuss their own chances of getting it with their doctors, recommends Dr. Prithwish De, epidemiologist with the Canadian Cancer Society. “The best way to find out (your risk) is to have a discussion with your doctor and to figure out what the best course of action might be—whether testing is needed, or other types of counselling are needed or managing risks like alcohol use, weight and smoking.”
The hope is that people who fall into a risk group can get tested and treated early enough to improve their chances of surviving. People can also modify their lifestyles to try to minimize their risks. More information is available at the society’s website.
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