Liver cancer survival statistics

40.0% of males survive liver cancer for at least one year. This falls to 13.7% surviving for five years or more, as shown by age-standardised net survival for patients diagnosed with liver cancer during 2013-2017 in England.[1] Survival for females at one year is 34.6% and falls to 10.7% surviving for at least five years. Survival for females is lower than for than for males at one year, and lower than for at five years.

Liver Cancer Age-Standardised One- and Five-year Net Survival, Adults (Aged 15-99), England, 2013-2017

The bar chart shows one- and five-year net survival, with 95% confidence intervals.

Ten-year survival estimates are not available for this cancer.

Five-year survival for liver cancer is generally higher in younger people and decreases with increasing age. Five-year net survival in men ranges from 23% in 15-39 year-olds to 6% in 80-99 year-olds for patients diagnosed with liver cancer in England during 2009-2013.[1] In women, five-year survival ranges from 30% to 2% in the same age groups.

Liver Cancer (C22), Five-Year Net Survival by Age, England, 2009-2013

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Survival for liver cancer is strongly related to stage of the disease at diagnosis.

One-year net survival by stage

One-year net survival for liver cancer is highest for patients diagnosed at Stage 1, and lowest for those diagnosed at Stage 4, as 2013-2017 data for England show.[1] 78% of patients diagnosed at Stage 1 survived their disease for at least one year, compared to 20% of patients diagnosed at Stage 4.[1]

One year net survival for unknown or missing stage is 38%, while one year survival for unstageable cancer is 34%. Lack of staging information may in some cases reflect advanced stage at diagnosis as very unwell patients may not undergo staging tests if the invasiveness of the testing outweighs the potential benefit of obtaining stage information. Incomplete staging assessment may also be associated with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the patient [2]. Stage completeness for liver cancer was 51% in 2013-2017 [1].

Liver cancer one-year net survival by stage, with incidence by stage (all data: adults diagnosed 2013-2017, followed up to 2018)

Five-year relative survival for liver cancer in men in England (9%) is below the average for Europe (11%). Scotland (8%) is also below the European average but Wales (9%) and Northern Ireland (10%) are similar to the European average.[1] Across the European countries for which data available, five-year relative survival in men ranges from 3% (Bulgaria) to 16% (Belgium).[1] 

Five-year relative survival for liver cancer in women in England (8%) is below the average for Europe (13%). Scotland (7%) is also below the European average but Wales (8%) is similar to the European average.[1] No five-year survival data is available for Northern Ireland. Across the European countries for which data is available, five-year relative survival in women ranges from 5% (Slovenia) to 21% (Belgium).[1] 

Liver Cancer (C22), Age-Standardised Five-Year Relative Survival, Adults (Aged 15+), European Countries, 2000-2007

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Possible explanations for persistent international differences in survival include differences in cancer biology, use of diagnostic tests and screening, stage at diagnosis, access to high-quality care, and data collection practices.[1]