October is Liver Cancer Awareness Month
Viral hepatitis infection is the most common risk factor for liver cancer. Chronic viral hepatitis can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for 80% of all liver cancer cases and is the third most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide.
A new report from the Centre for Disease Analysis (CDA) Foundation* finds that individuals living with hepatitis B and C have a significantly higher risk of developing cancer than someone smoking one pack of cigarettes per day.
Despite this, nearly half (42%) of people globally are not aware that one of the leading causes of liver cancer is viral hepatitis – according to research by the World Hepatitis Alliance**.
This October, for Liver Cancer Awareness Month, the hepatitis and the cancer communities must come together to raise their collective voice to increase awareness of liver cancer’s connection to viral hepatitis and call for greater action.
Hepatitis vaccination, testing, treatment and care should be integrated into national cancer prevention and control strategies and programmes. Hepatitis B and C should be “considered as cancer causing infections and international guidelines should be reconsidered accordingly” (CDA).
Get involved this Liver Cancer Awareness Month
This October, download and promote the Liver Cancer Awareness month assets below and help to raise awareness of liver cancer’s connection to viral hepatitis and call for greater action.
We also have a customisable tool which you can use to create your own assets here.
We also developed an advocacy briefing to support advocates in their work to improve understanding of the links between hepatitis and liver cancer. It includes calling for countries to invest in hepatitis services to reduce the burden of NCDs and urging the hepatitis and cancer communities to come together to raise their collective voice to increase awareness.
Download the full Liver Cancer Awareness Month WHA communications toolkit below.
Webinar: We’re not waiting – Beating hepatitis and cancer together
On Thursday 27 July, WHA hosted a webinar to discuss the integration of the hepatitis community and hepatitis services with liver cancer and NCDs to beat hepatitis and liver cancer together. Chaired by our director, Jessica Hicks, speakers included:
- Rosie Tasker, Global Advocacy Manager, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)
- Devin Razavi-Shearer, Associate Director, HBV/HDV, Center for Disease Analysis Foundation
- Dr Nafiisah Chotun, Programme Lead, Endemic and NTDs & RISLNET Coordinator Southern African region, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
- Milan Mishkovikj, Director, European Liver Patients’ Assocation (ELPA)
- Wendy Wang, Deputy Director, Liver Disease Prevention and Treatment Research Foundation, Taiwan
* Razavi, H. CDA Foundation, 2023. Risk of developing cancer – comparison of HBV, HCV, and smoking. DOI: 10.3252/pso.eu.EASLCONGRESS.2023
** Global survey of 569 respondents from: Argentina, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Nigeria, South Korea, Vietnam, and the United States of America. Participants sourced by SurveyMonkey Audience from 30 June to 4 July, 2023. Research conducted by the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA)