Liver Cancer Rates Surging Among Senior Citizens, CDC Reports

Liver cancer rates are surging at an alarming rate among senior citizens, reports the Centers For Disease Control (CDC).  Overall, death rates from this cancer rose by 43 percent between 2000 and 2016. And, most noteworthy, Seniors, 75 and older had the highest death rates, followed by the age groups 65 to 74 and 55 to 64. All groups showed big overall increases since 2000.

 

 

 

Liver Cancer: CDC Reports Statistics

The CDC report does not give a reason for the surge in these cancer rates. They only say that some States reported higher rates than others. On the other hand, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) points to hepatitis infections, diabetes, and rising obesity rates as the primary risk factors.

 

In 2016 the highest liver cancer rates were in the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Hawaii, Mississippi and New Mexico. The lowest rates were found in Vermont, Maine, Montana, Utah and Nebraska.

 

According to the CDC report, seniors were the most susceptible to this cancer:

 

• For those 75 and older, the death rate increased 35 percent from 2000 to 2016.
• In ages  65 to 74, the rate rose 7 percent from 2000 to 2008 and 37 percent from 2008 to 2016.
• For those ages 55 to 64, the rate soared 109 percent from 2000 to 2013 but remained stable through 2016.
• In ages 45 to 54, the rate jumped 31 percent from 2000 to 2005, and remained stable from 2005 to 2012. It then decreased 20 percent from 2012 to 2016.

 

Overall, the death rate for men was 2 to 2.5 times the rate for women from 2000 to 2016.