Cancer statistics: Liver

Liver cancer: Incidence

In the UK in 2008, 3,584 cases of liver cancer were diagnosed.

Of these cancer cases, 2,276 were in men, and 1,308 were in women.

Liver cancer: Mortality

In the UK in 2009, there were 3,643 deaths from liver cancer.

Of these deaths, 2,175 were men and 1,468 were women.

Proportion preventable

Smoking is a risk factor for liver cancer. But scientists also estimate the following proportion of liver cancer cases could be prevented in the UK:

Lifestyle factor	Does doing more increase or decrease risk?	Approximate % preventable in UK through healthy changes
Alcohol	Increase	17

There is also convincing evidence that aflatoxins, a substance produced by a type of fungus, increases risk of liver cancer.

You can find out more about how these preventability estimates were calculated. For detailed information about what change would be needed for each factor, download Appendix A of the Policy Report on the Diet and Cancer Report website.

The figures on incidence and mortality come from the following sources: for England (incidence); for Wales (incidence); for England and Wales (mortality); for Scotland; and for Northern Ireland.