Trends and future projections of liver cancer incidence in Hong Kong: a population-based study

Liver cancer remains a significant burden in Hong Kong. We sought to examine trends in liver cancer incidence using 30 years of cancer registry data in Hong Kong. Additionally, we aimed to assess the impact of age, period and birth cohort on liver cancer incidence, provided projections for liver cancer incidence until 2030, and examined the drivers of liver cancer incidence.

Data on liver cancer incidence were collected from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry (HKCaR). We assessed age, period, and birth cohort effects using age-period-cohort (APC) models. We employed Bayesian APC analysis with integrated nested Laplace approximations to project the future burden of liver cancer in Hong Kong. Furthermore, we attributed the changes in new liver cancer cases to population growth, population ageing, and epidemiological changes.

The study included a total of 51,333 individuals, of whom 39,287 (76.53%) were male. From 1991 to 2020, the age-standardized liver cancer incidence rate in Hong Kong continued declining, while the number of new cases increased significantly, especially among males. The net drift, representing the overall annual percentage change of the age-adjusted rate, was - 3.06% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.31% to -2.80%) for males and - 3.85% (95% CI: -4.61% to -3.09%) for females. Local drift, which estimates the annual percentage change over time specific to age group, decreased in all age groups for both sexes, with a more pronounced decrease in younger age groups. The period and cohort risk of developing liver cancer also showed decreasing trends for both sexes. The study projected a decline in liver cancer cases for males but an increase for females in Hong Kong, with an estimated 1,083 cases in males and 710 cases in females by 2030. Demographic decomposition analysis revealed that while population growth and ageing were the main drivers of increased liver cancer cases, epidemiologic shifts mostly offset these factors.

The period and cohort risk of developing liver cancer in Hong Kong declined due to epidemiological changes. Although the age-standardized incidence rates of liver cancer have also declined, demographic and epidemiological factors have led to lower case expectations in males but a likely increase in females. Further research and epidemiological assessment of the disease are needed.