Untreated hep B to send liver cancer rate soaring

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Untreated hep B to send liver cancer rate soaring

Jill Stark

June 5, 2011

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DEATHS from liver cancer are liable to triple in the next decade, with the rise

largely caused by untreated hepatitis B infections, experts say.

More than 50,000 Australians are thought to be unknowingly infected with the

blood-borne virus. Without treatment, the condition can progress to liver

diseases including cirrhosis or cancer.

Ben Cowie, from the n Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, said

liver cancer was the nation's fastest growing cancer, with up to 80 per cent of

cases thought to be linked to chronic viral hepatitis.

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An estimated 1300 people died from the disease last year - a 17 per cent rise

since 2007 - outstripping deaths from cervical, brain and ovarian cancers.

''There's a concern here that liver cancer deaths are increasing very rapidly,

particularly at a time when most other cancers are going backwards in terms of

mortality rates,'' Dr Cowie said. ''The research suggests we'll see a threefold

increase within the next 10 years.

''There are now approximately 165,000 people living with chronic or long-term

hepatitis B in Australia and about a third of them don't even know they've got

it. We can prevent liver disease and liver cancer attributed to hepatitis B by

increasing diagnoses and treatment, but only about 3 per cent are receiving

anti-viral treatment, which is a real problem,'' he said.

Broadcaster Derryn Hinch, who is waiting for a transplant as he battles liver

cancer, blames his condition on a boozy past, but Dr Cowie said only about 10

per cent of cases were linked to heavy drinking.

Liver cancer can be prevented if hepatitis B is diagnosed and treated early, but

Helen McNeill, the n head of Hepatitis Australia, said poor screening

and ignorance about the virus meant many sufferers were finding out too late.

Only 10 to 15 per cent of people diagnosed with liver cancer are alive five

years later.

The rise in hepatitis B can be partly blamed on an increase in immigration from

countries where the virus is prevalent, such as in the Asia-Pacific region. It

is also common in Aboriginal communities. Most infections are transmitted from

mother to child at birth, but it can also be passed between sexual partners.

A lack of education and training for healthcare workers in detecting the virus

has also been cited. Last year the federal government, in conjunction with state

and territory health ministers, launched the first national hepatitis B

strategy.

''There's been a recognition from government that we need to do something about

it and now we need the funding, because without that the strategy will fail,''

Ms McNeill said. ''I don't care whether it's the states and territories or the

federal government that funds it, we just need someone to cough up the money.''

A spokesman for federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the national strategy

recognised one of the most critical prevention tools to combat the virus was

immunisation and the vaccine was now provided free to babies at birth, two, and

four months, and to children aged 10 to 13.

A spokesman for state Health Minister said the government was

working on a state-specific viral hepatitis action plan and that it provided the

hepatitis B vaccine for newborns and a follow-up for all year 7 students.

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