Young Adults and Alcohol-Associated Liver Cancer: Incidence and Death from 2000 to 2021

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2025 Feb 26

PMID 40002204

Authors

Pojsakorn Danpanichkul

Yanfang Pang

Luis Antonio Diaz

Juan Pablo Arab

Soo Young Hwang

Disatorn Dejvajara

Varshini Suresh

Thanathip Suenghataiphorn

Chalothorn Wannaphut

Kanokphong Suparan

Karn Wijarnpreecha

Hyunseok Kim

Donghee Kim

Amit G Singal

Ju Dong Yang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/objectives: The incidence and mortality of early-onset cancers have been rising in recent decades. While epidemiological studies have examined various types of cancer, updated global data on alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer (PLC) in young adults remains limited.

Methods: This study utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study spanning 2000 to 2021 to evaluate the age-standardized incidence, mortality, and corresponding rates of alcohol-attributable PLC among young adults aged 15-49 years.

Results: In 2021, there were 8290 incidence cases and 6590 deaths from alcohol-attributable PLC in young adults. The age-standardized incidence rate has increased in Europe (annual percent change [APC]: 0.44%, 95%CI 0.35 to 0.54%), Southeast Asia (APC: 0.40%, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.44%), and the Western Pacific region (APC: 0.65%, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.86%). In 2021, alcohol-attributable PLC in young adults represented 11% (+2% from 2000) of incident cases and 11% of (+2% from 2000) deaths among all PLC in young adults. About half of the countries showed an increase in the age-standardized incidence rate of alcohol-attributable PLC among young adults between 2000 and 2021.

Conclusions: The incidence rate of alcohol-attributable liver cancer in young adults has shifted significantly over the past two decades, with notable increases in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. This trend underscores the need for global strategies to address the rising prevalence of alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease and their impact on young adults.

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