Liver Cancer Statistics

HCC in the United States

  • In 2024, an estimated 41,630 (28,000 men and 13,630 women) new cases of liver cancer and approximately 29,840 (19,120 men and 10,720 women) deaths.

  • Liver cancer incidence rates have more than tripled, and death rates have more than doubled since 1980.

  • HCC is the fastest rising cause of death in the U.S. 

  • Studies show that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have the highest rates of liver cancer. 

HCC in the World

  • In 2020, an estimated 905,700 people were diagnosed with, and 830,200 people died from, liver cancer globally. About 40% of those diagnosed were in the late stages of the disease. 

  • HCC is the 6th most common cancer in the world, and HCC is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in the world.

  • The overall incidence rate of HCC is approximately three times higher in males than in females.

  • HCC is the most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern/South-Eastern Asia.

  • The number of new cases of liver cancer per year is predicted to increase by 55.0% between 2020 and 2040, with a possible 1.4 million people diagnosed in 2040. A predicted 1.3 million people could die from liver cancer in 2040.

HCC Facts

  • HCC accounts for approximately 80 – 90% of all liver cancers.

  • About 80% of patients with HCC have preexisting cirrhosis. However, some people have no underlying liver disease whatsoever.

  • Two-thirds of liver cancer deaths are caused by hepatitis. 

    • Worldwide: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 254 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B, with 1.2 million new infections each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50 million people are living with chronic hepatitis C, with 1 million new infections each year. 

    • United States: Approximately 2.4 million people have chronic hepatitis B, and approximately 2.4 – 4.7 million people have chronic hepatitis C. Many people do not know if they have hepatitis B or C.

  • The five-year relative survival rate depends on the stage of the disease at diagnosis:

    • Localized (confined to the primary site) = 45%

    • Regional (spread to regional lymph nodes) = 26%

    • Distant (spread to other organs; metastasized) = 18%

Risk Factors

Viruses

  • Chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV)

  • Chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV)

  • In the U.S, HCV infection is the more common cause of HCC, while in Asia and Africa, HBV is more common.

Cirrhosis (sometimes due to lifestyle choices)

  • Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency

  • Glycogen storage diseases

  • Heavy alcohol use is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the U.S.

  • Hereditary hemochromatosis

  • Inherited metabolic diseases

  • Tyrosinemia

  • Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

  • Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

  • Obesity

  • Porphyria cutanea tarda

  • Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)

  • Type 2 Diabetes

  • Wilson’s Disease

Symptoms

  • Anorexia, early satiety, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, obstructive jaundice, fever, watery diarrhea, itching, yellowing of skin/eyes, and/or swelling/fluid build-up in the abdomen.

  • The patient may experience pain in the abdomen, near the right shoulder blade, or in the bones (from metastases).

  • An enlarged liver felt as a mass under the ribs on the right side, or an enlarged spleen felt as a mass under the ribs on the left side.

Sources: American Cancer Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hepatitis B Foundation, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health © May 2025