Liver Cancer
Global mortality data, country rankings, and trends for Liver Cancer from 1990 to 2021.
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Liver Cancer is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. This page presents data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study, showing mortality trends, country rankings, and regional patterns. Understanding the epidemiology of liver cancer helps inform public health interventions and resource allocation.
This data is sourced from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, processed via Our World in Data. All rates are age-standardized per 100,000 population unless otherwise noted. Explore related mortality data using the links below.
Liver disease — predominantly cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma — kills over 1.3 million people each year. Chronic hepatitis B and C infections are the leading causes globally, together responsible for roughly 60% of cirrhosis deaths. Alcohol-related liver disease is the dominant aetiology in high-income countries and parts of Eastern Europe. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), driven by obesity and metabolic syndrome, is the fastest-growing liver condition worldwide, affecting an estimated 25% of the global adult population. Sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia bear a disproportionate burden of hepatitis-related liver disease, while alcohol-attributable cirrhosis is highest in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Liver disease often progresses silently over decades, meaning many patients present with advanced cirrhosis or liver cancer when treatment options are limited. Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease but is available to only a fraction of those who need it.
Across 210 countries, liver cancer accounts for an average of 2.3% of total deaths. Regional disparities are substantial: Latin America & Caribbean has the highest regional average at 2.6%, while North America records the lowest at 1.8%. These figures reflect the most recent available data and highlight geographic variation in liver cancer mortality.
Hepatitis B vaccination — ideally with a birth dose — is the cornerstone of liver cancer prevention in endemic countries. Direct-acting antiviral therapy can cure over 95% of hepatitis C infections, halting liver fibrosis progression. Alcohol policy interventions (pricing, availability restrictions, advertising bans) reduce alcohol-attributable liver mortality. Addressing the NAFLD epidemic requires the same metabolic risk factor management strategies used for diabetes and cardiovascular disease: weight loss, physical activity, and dietary improvement. Screening of high-risk groups for hepatitis and liver fibrosis enables earlier intervention.
Liver cancer — predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) — is the third leading cause of cancer death globally, killing approximately 830,000 people annually. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the dominant cause in sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia, while hepatitis C virus (HCV) predominates in North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe and North America. Alcohol-related cirrhosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are increasingly important aetiologies, particularly in high-income countries. Aflatoxin exposure from contaminated grain and nuts compounds HBV-associated risk in tropical regions. Liver cancer has one of the worst prognoses of any cancer: five-year survival is below 20% globally, as most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages when surgical resection or transplantation is no longer feasible. The incidence of HCC is rising in several Western countries due to HCV-related cirrhosis, NASH, and obesity.
Across 210 countries with available data, the average age-standardised liver cancer death rate is 2.3 per 100,000 population. The countries with the highest rates are Turkmenistan (8.0), Kazakhstan (6.5), Egypt, Arab Rep. (6.4), and Moldova (6.4). At the lower end, COK records a rate of 0.16 per 100,000. These patterns reflect differences in risk factor prevalence, screening coverage, diagnostic capacity, and treatment access.
Hepatitis B vaccination is the most effective primary prevention for liver cancer in endemic settings: universal infant vaccination has already reduced HCC incidence in young adults in Taiwan and other early-adopting countries. HCV cure with direct-acting antivirals reduces HCC risk, though residual risk persists in those with established cirrhosis. Aflatoxin exposure reduction through improved grain storage and food safety is important in tropical Africa and Asia. Surveillance of high-risk patients (those with cirrhosis) through six-monthly ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein enables early detection.