Chronic liver disease is a leading cause of death in the Asian American population. While the cause is not always known, some cases can be initiated by conditions such as alcohol use disorder, obesity, and exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses.
- In 2022, chronic liver disease was the fifth leading cause of death for non-Hispanic Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders ages 35-44.1
- Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander males were 60% more likely to have liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct (IBD) cancer and 40% more likely to die from this disease than non-Hispanic white males.2
- Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander females were 50% more likely to have and 30% more likely to die from liver and IBD cancer than non-Hispanic white females.2
- Asian male subgroups have higher mortality rates for liver cancer, specifically 54.3 for Vietnamese, 33.9 for Koreans, 23.3 for Chinese, 16.8 for Filipino and 9.3 for Japanese.3
Cancer Rates (2017–2021)
| Cancer incidence in males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2017–2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Males | Non-Hispanic White Males | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 299.8 | 510.7 | 0.6 |
| Liver & IBD | 17.4 | 11.2 | 1.6 |
| Cancer incidence in females, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2017–2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Females | Non-Hispanic White Females | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 313.2 | 447.0 | 0.7 |
| Liver & IBD | 6.4 | 4.3 | 1.5 |
Diagnosed
| Adults age 18 and over who have been told by a doctor that they have chronic liver disease, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
Death Rates
| 5-year mortality in males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Males | Non-Hispanic White Males | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 107.5 | 179.0 | 0.6 |
| Liver & IBD | 11.8 | 8.4 | 1.4 |
| 5-year mortality in females, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Females | Non-Hispanic White Females | Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| All Sites | 82.6 | 131.0 | 0.6 |
| Liver & IBD | 5.1 | 3.8 | 1.3 |
| Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis mortality, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio | |
| Male | 5.8 | 25.4 | 0.2 |
| Female | 3.2 | 15.1 | 0.2 |
| Both Sexes | 4.5 | 20.2 | 0.2 |
1 CDC. WISQARS. Leading Causes of Death. (Back to top)
2 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute; 2024 Apr 17. (Back to top)
3 CDC, 2008. Health Characteristics of the Asian Adult Population: United States, 2004–2006. Page 2. (Back to top)