Although a third of Black people with hepatitis C did not have cirrhosis, which is a trigger for liver cancer screening, they were more likely to develop liver cancer at an earlier stage of liver disease. As a result, Black individuals were more likely to be overlooked for liver cancer surveillance, according to study results published in the journal Cancer.

Over years or decades, chronic hepatitis C can lead to serious liver problems, including cirrhosis (scarring) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer. While HCC is a rising cause of cancer death, rates vary widely across different racial and ethnic groups. Black people are less likely to have their liver cancer detected early and have worse survival rates compared with white, Latino and Asian individuals.

This post is excerpted from Hep Mag. Continue reading here.