Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality has decreased in recent years, due in large part to a reduction in mortality related to viral hepatitis, according to results published in Liver International. Donghee Kim, MD, PhD, and colleagues used US national mortality data from 2017 to 2021 to estimate quarterly age-standardized mortality and the quarterly percentage change (QPC) for HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Quarterly agestandardized mortality from HCC showed a steady decline, with an average QPC of -0.4%. Specifically, mortality related to hepatitis C and B viruses declined by -2.2% and -1.1%, respectively. However, mortality from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and alcohol-related liver disease showed a linear increase. In terms of ICC, there was a linear increase in quarterly age-standardized mortality of 0.8%. While ICC-related mortality continued to rise, the decline in HCC-related mortality was primarily driven by a decrease in mortality due to viral hepatitis.
