Bad lifestyle, wrong eating habits and obesity are taking a toll on health. Due to this, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has now become a bigger cause of liver cancer than viral hepatitis. This worrying picture has emerged in a study conducted in nine hospitals of the country under the leadership of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS).

This study has also been published in the Hepatology International Medical Journal. Additional Professor of ILBS, Dr. Ashok Chaudhary said that earlier, the incidence of liver cancer was more due to hepatitis B. Now diabetes is also emerging as a major risk factor for it.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis infection are major causes

The study found that more than one-third (39.5 percent) of patients suffering from liver cancer were suffering from diabetes. NAFLD was found to be the cause of liver cancer in 35.5 percent of patients. After this, hepatitis B and hepatitis infection were the major causes.

5798 patients were registered for the study conducted under the supervision of the doctors of the institute. Out of these, 2664 had liver cancer. The average age of the patients was 58.2 years, of which 84.3 percent were men.

50-60 percent of liver cancer patients are cured

Death rate is higher in India as compared to abroad. Doctors of ILBS say that abroad 50-60 percent of patients suffering from liver cancer are cured, whereas in India, due to lack of awareness, patients come for treatment in the advanced stage. Due to this, the survival rate of patients here is only 20-30 percent. Dr. Ashok Chaudhary said that people suffering from obesity must get ultrasound tests done at an interval of six months.

Better treatment for cancer is possible

ILBS Director Dr. SK Sarin said that according to the World Health Organization, liver cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the world, which is becoming the third biggest cause of cancer deaths. It is a matter of relief that in the last five years, many new medicines and techniques have come up for treatment, due to which better treatment is possible.