Epidemiological Trends of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Austria

Abstract

Background/Aims: The heterogeneous epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the highest incidence rates in East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Melanesia results from variations in the main risk factors. We investigated epidemiological trends, including incidence and mortality, of patients diagnosed with HCC over a 20-year period in Austria. Methods: Data on age-adjusted incidence rates of HCC were obtained from the Austrian National Cancer Registry, which compiles nationwide data on all newly diagnosed cancers. Data on age-adjusted mortality were obtained from the national death registry (Statistics Austria). Results: Of 24,939 patients diagnosed with hepatobiliary tumors between 1990 and 2009, 8,561 subjects had HCC (m/f ratio 75/25%; mean age 69 years). Lymph node and distant metastases were present in 7.5 and 12.2%, respectively. The age-adjusted incidence rate was significantly higher in men than women (m/f ratio 4.5/1) and markedly increased in men (4.68/5.10) but remained stable in women (1.18/1.11). Similarly, the age-adjusted mortality rate was significantly higher in men than women (m/f ratio 4.5/1), increased in men (4.02/4.98) and remained stable in women (0.92/1.0). The median overall survival was 4.5 months for men and 3.2 months for women with 1-/5-year survival rates of 33/11% and 28/10%, respectively. Conclusion: HCC is the most common hepatobiliary neoplasia in Austria and has a very poor prognosis. The age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates were higher in males, increased over time in men and remained stable in women. Extrahepatic metastases were rarely diagnosed and associated with dismal survival.

Programmed cell death protein‐1 (PD‐1)‐targeted immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: efficacy and safety data from an international multicentre real‐world cohort

“…Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the most common primary liver cancer and usually develops in patients suffering from underlying chronic liver disease . Despite recommendations for surveillance of patients at risk, HCC is often diagnosed at an advanced stage where only systemic treatment can be offered.…”

Mortality from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in Western Europe over the last 40 years

“…Analysis of mortality data over the last 40 years has stimulated a great deal of research on both LC and HCC . The present survey aimed to analyse LC and HCC mortality in certain Western European countries over roughly the last four decades, and changes in trends in individual nations for these two end‐stage chronic liver diseases.…”

Changing Epidemiological Trends of Hepatobiliary Carcinomas in Austria 2010–2018

“…Here, we aimed to investigate the impact of the changing landscape of risk factors and of earlier diagnostic approaches (e.g., surveillance recommendations [9] and routine cholecystectomy) together with improvements in therapeutic options in high-income countries on the epidemiology of HBC for the period 2010-2018. This is a follow-up to our previous reports on incidence and mortality trends of HCC [10] and BTC [11] in Austria between 1990 and 2009.…”