Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer globally, with the highest rates of new cases and deaths seen in Asia and Africa. With the number of people diagnosed with or dying from liver cancer predicted to rise by 55% by 2040, liver cancer will place an increasingly heavy burden on health systems across the world.
Viral hepatitis is a major cause of liver cancer. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine for hepatitis B and a cure for hepatitis C, efforts to test and treat individuals for viral hepatitis and to prevent these infections are suboptimal. Ramping up these efforts is a key component of cancer prevention that must be integrated and implemented into cancer prevention efforts globally.
As part of London Global Cancer Week (11-15 November 2025), The Hepatitis Fund and The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology hosted “Opportunities to prevent liver cancer via urgent acceleration of viral hepatitis elimination”, a virtual event on 13 November discussing the role that viral hepatitis elimination can play in tackling the global burden of liver cancer. This interactive session provided the global cancer community with the opportunity to learn more about the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer and the key challenges facing efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis despite the availability of tools to prevent, treat, and cure these infections.
The event, moderated by Jade Chakowa, Senior Advisor, Programme and Partnerships at The Hepatitis Fund, and Rob Brierley, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, featured a discussion with the following panel:
- Dr Funmi Lesi, Hepatitis Lead, Global Hepatitis Programme, WHO.
- Rachel Halford, President, World Hepatitis Alliance.
- Dr Sonali Johnson, Head of Knowledge, Advocacy and Policy, UICC.
- Dr Simbarashe Mabaya, Senior Technical Advisor – Primary Health Care, Gavi.
- Dr Lewis Roberts, Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
- Dr Kiyono Souichirou, Assistant Head Officer, Hepatitis Control and Prevention Office, Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
- Dr Maia Tsereteli, Head of Division- HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STI & TB, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia.
Here are the discussion’s key takeaways:
Prevention, testing and treatment of viral hepatitis is crucial to preventing liver cancer – With almost one million new cases per year, liver cancer is one of the fastest-growing and deadliest cancers and has a significant impact on the lives of people affected and their families. Globally, around 55% of cases of hepatocellular carcinoma are caused by hepatitis B virus and around 20% by hepatitis C virus. Preventing infections and treating individuals living with viral hepatitis represent major opportunities to prevent liver cancer.
Following in the footsteps of success – Representatives from GAVI, Georgia, and Japan shared their achievements in addressing viral hepatitis through strong public health initiatives involving integrated vaccination, screening, and treatment programmes. Their impact is demonstrated by increased vaccination coverage, reduced prevalence of viral hepatitis, and fewer new cases of liver cancer. We have blueprints to guide other countries and share lessons learned.
Improving awareness and collaboration – There is limited public and political awareness of the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer. We have the tools to eliminate viral hepatitis and thus prevent liver cancer, and call for collaboration and partnerships to collectively raise awareness and advocate for integration of viral hepatitis into public health policies with allocated financing.
