Thursday, January 19, 2012
Rising liver cancer rates show not enough being done to address contributing factors
Liver cancer is treatable and often preventable
January 19, 2012: Male baby boomers looking forward to retirement may have a nasty surprise waiting for them. According to the recently released Statistics Canada report on Canadian Trends in Cancer Prevalence, liver cancer rates among males aged 50 – 79 are significantly higher than in younger age groups or among women of the same age. What is alarming is that liver cancer rates are on the rise due to the fact that the major causes of primary liver cancer – hepatitis B and hepatitis C – are not being identified and treated early enough.
“Hepatitis B and C do not turn into liver cancer overnight,” says Dr. Morris Sherman, Chairman of the Canadian Liver Foundation and hepatologist who specializes in liver cancer research. “It can take anywhere from two to 20 years which gives us more than enough time to intervene. If we included liver tests as part of annual physicals and did regular liver cancer screening for patients who have been diagnosed with hepatitis B or C, we would be able to catch the early warning signs and take action.”
Where once it was a death sentence, liver cancer is now treatable through a variety of means. If caught early, surgery, treatment with radio waves and other methods can be used to successfully shrink, kill or remove cancerous tumours in the liver.
The Canadian Liver Foundation believes that the key to reversing the trend in liver cancer rates lies in early detection and intervention as well as prevention. “Hepatitis B, for example, is the leading cause of liver cancer world-wide and there are an estimated 300,000 Canadians currently living with this disease,” says Dr. Sherman. “Hepatitis B is particularly prevalent within immigrant populations and they often have the most difficult time accessing affordable treatment options. As a practicing clinician, it is frustrating for me to see liver cancer rates rising when I know it is avoidable through prevention and treatment measures.”
At a time when provinces are reviewing their health care priorities, the Canadian Liver Foundation is calling upon all provinces to institute the following measures to combat liver cancer:
- universal neonatal immunization for hepatitis B;
- liver tests included in annual physicals;
- access to affordable and effective treatment for all chronic hepatitis B and C patients;
- better identification of those patients with liver diseases, including hepatitis B and C who are at risks for liver cancer
- regular liver cancer screening for those at-risk patients;
“The Statistics Canada report provides the data on a serious health issue that the Canadian Liver Foundation and the hepatology community have been aware of for some time,” says Dr. Sherman. “Liver cancer rates are a barometer for the state of liver health in this country. Without decisive action, things will only get worse. We hope that these statistics will be a catalyst for provincial governments to address liver cancer and its contributing factors.”
For more information on liver cancer, click here
For media inquiries, please contact Melanie Kearns at mkearns@liver.ca or 416-491-3353
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