Liver Cancer Causes, Risk Factors and Prevention

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Causes of Liver Cancer

Liver cancer starts when cells in the liver or bile ducts grow out of control. Researchers don’t yet know why this happens. There are some known risk factors — things that raise your chances of getting a disease. But having a risk factor doesn’t mean you will get liver cancer, and some people with liver cancer don’t have any risk factors.

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Risk Factors for Liver Cancer

The risk of liver cancer goes up with age. Being older means there’s been more time for your liver cells to become damaged in ways that may lead to cancer.

Other liver cancer risk factors include:

Conditions that affect the liver

  • Chronic infection with hepatitis B or C virus, which can also cause cirrhosis
  • Cirrhosis caused by metabolic liver diseases such as MASLD or its subtype MASH
  • Type 2 diabetes

Lifestyle factors

  • Being overweight
  • Heavy alcohol use, especially if it damages the liver, causing scar tissue to replace healthy liver tissue (cirrhosis)
  • Smoking cigarettes
  • Eating foods contaminated with the poison aflatoxin, which comes from a fungus
  • Long-term use of anabolic steroids (sometimes used to increase muscles and strength)

Other factors

  • Family history of liver cancer
  • Certain other rare conditions, like untreated build-up of too much iron (hereditary hemochromatosis)

Your place of birth may affect your risk as well. Liver cancer risk is higher in men age 40 or older who were born in Asia, women age 50 or older who were born in Asia and anyone born in Africa. In the U.S, liver cancer is more common in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders than in people of other ancestry.

How Liver Cancer Can Be Prevented

The exact cause of all liver cancers is not known, so there’s no clear way to prevent it. You may help reduce your risk by:

  • Reducing your alcohol intake or not drinking alcohol at all.
  • Get a hepatitis B vaccine. (There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C.)
  • Lowering risk for hepatitis B and C by not sharing needles and by practicing safer sex (like using condoms).
  • Getting treatment for chronic hepatitis B and C and for any other condition that may affect your liver health.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight.
  • Avoiding cigarettes, aflatoxins and anabolic steroids.

How Fred Hutch is Researching Liver Cancer Prevention 

Fred Hutch researchers are working on projects to better understand the causes of liver cancer and how to prevent it. Fred Hutch scientists study a range of factors that contribute to liver cancer risk, including environmental exposures, metabolic health and viral infections For example, researcher Lesley Tinker, PhD, has been part of a multicenter study to tell if chemicals called perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment increase the risk for liver cancer.

Liver Cancer Risk Factors FAQ

To help reduce your risk for liver cancer:

  • If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start. If you drink alcohol, drinking less is better when it comes to your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking as two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women.
  • To maintain a healthy weight, be physically active every day, and eat a variety of foods that give you the nutrients you need without extra calories.
  • Don’t smoke. If you smoke, it’s important to quit. Fred Hutch has a free smartphone app called QuitBot that includes step-by-step guidance and virtual coaching.

Support is available to help you make healthy changes. Talk with your primary care provider about the steps you want to take and which resources are best for you.