More Queenslanders are dying from liver cancer than ever before, at more than triple the rate since the 1980s, even though the main cause – viral hepatitis – is treatable.

The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer – Queensland Report has found liver cancer mortality in Queensland rose from 1.6 deaths per 100,000 population in the 1980s to around 5.1 per 100,000 population today.

The stigma surrounding viral hepatitis and a lack of community knowledge about liver cancer prevention and treatment have contributed to the problem, with Hepatitis B and C causing around half of all liver cancer cases statewide.

Other risk factors for this type of cancer include smoking, alcohol use and being overweight or obese.

These were the findings of a new Queensland report from Hepatitis Queensland and Cancer Council Queensland, which also revealed that less than a quarter (24 per cent) of those diagnosed with liver cancer will be alive five years later.

Hepatitis Queensland CEO Dr Anna Hawkes said a range of factors contributed to the rise, including late diagnosis as symptoms may only appear in the disease’s advanced stages.

“Gaps in testing, treatment and long-term care mean many Queenslanders are still not benefiting from effective prevention and care,” Dr Hawkes said.

“These challenges are driven by late diagnosis, suboptimal linkage to and retention in care, and persistent inequities in access to culturally safe and appropriate services, particularly for priority populations and those living in regional and remote areas.”

She said effective tools at Queensland’s disposal to prevent liver cancer included Hepatitis B vaccination and monitoring, curative Hepatitis C treatment, harm reduction services, surveillance for at-risk groups, and culturally safe, community-led models.

“Only 25 per cent of Queenslanders living with Hepatitis B are receiving recommended monitoring and care, while some 40 per cent of Hepatitis C notifications are occurring in correctional settings,” she explained.

“Hepatitis C symptoms can be silent or flu-like, such as fatigue and fever. If you have had cosmetic surgery or dental work done overseas, a backyard tattoo or used drugs recreationally, even decades ago, don’t ignore ongoing flu-like symptoms. Ask your doctor to be tested for Hepatitis.”

Cancer Council Queensland COO Mena Waller said liver cancer had become one of the state’s fastest-growing causes of cancer mortality.

“With targeted action and sustained commitment, Queensland has a clear opportunity to reduce preventable liver cancer and improve outcomes across the population, particularly amongst at-risk groups.”

She said the report highlighted significant inequities and the need to improve hepatitis awareness, screening and access to care for several priority populations.

“Priority populations include people born overseas in regions where hepatitis is more common, people in regional and remote Queensland, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.

Liver cancer survivor David Clune struggled with liver disease for decades, attributing his survival to good healthcare decisions and eventually a liver transplant.

Mr Clune, who lives on Russell Island in Southeast Queensland, does not know exactly when and where he contracted Hepatitis B and C, but he was diagnosed in New Zealand in 1989 after experiencing the trauma of correctional facilities as a teenager.

“I was basically flipped out and hung out to dry. Not long after that I got diagnosed with hepatitis, while I was starting a family, and then the stigma sunk in,” said Mr Clune.

“I carried that stigma all through the journey into my fifties. I lasted 28 years living with hepatitis before I got cured.

“I tell people who have been diagnosed with hepatitis to make good choices and look after themselves because living with hepatitis is not a death sentence; far from it, things have changed a lot from the days that I got diagnosed in the 80s.

“It’s so easy now. For Hepatitis C you just take daily tablets for two to three months and you won’t know yourself after that. People living with Hepatitis B, should see their doctor every six months to monitor their liver health and reduce the risk of cancer. There’s a lot more support now than there used to be, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Contact Hepatitis Queensland on 1800 437 753 for information and support.