Liver Cancer Cases Expected to Double Globally by 2050 Due to Obesity, Alcohol

Liver cancer cases worldwide are projected to nearly double by 2050, rising from 0.87 million in 2022 to 1.52 million, driven largely by increases in obesity and alcohol consumption. A severe form of fatty liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), linked to obesity, is expected to cause 11% of liver cancer cases by 2050, up from 8% in 2022. Meanwhile, liver cancers associated with hepatitis B and C viruses are predicted to decline proportionally. Experts emphasize that around 60% of liver cancer cases are preventable through measures such as reducing obesity, limiting alcohol intake, and increasing hepatitis vaccinations. Liver cancer remains a highly lethal disease with five-year survival rates as low as 5% in some regions, underscoring the urgency of implementing preventive strategies. The Lancet Commission on Liver Cancer calls for comprehensive public health actions to address these risk factors and avert millions of new cases and deaths in the coming decades.