John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Liver disease in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
The liver is a vital organ for digesting food, storing energy, cleaning blood, and fighting infection. The term ‘liver disease’ is used broadly to describe any damage to, or disease of, the liver. Common symptoms of liver disease include nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, yellow colored skin and eyes, dark urine, and weight loss, however symptoms can vary depending on the specific disease or cause of damage. Some of the more common types of liver disease include hereditary diseases, hepatitis, liver cancer, alcoholic liver disease, and cirrhosis.
Damage to the liver caused by cirrhosis, alcohol abuse, and hepatitis can also lead to liver cancer. Rates of liver cancer are more common among males than females and are higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanics than any other race or ethnicity. As of 2020, those diagnosed with liver cancer had a 22 percent chance of surviving 5 years after being diagnosed with the disease. The death rate from liver cancer has steadily increased since the year 1999, rising to a rate of 6.5 deaths per 100,000 population in 2022.
Liver cirrhosis and liver cancer
Liver cirrhosis occurs when healthy liver cells are damaged and replaced with hard scar tissue. As cirrhosis progresses, the liver begins to fail as it lacks healthy tissue. The most common causes of cirrhosis are chronic hepatitis and alcohol abuse. Although the death rate from liver cirrhosis in the U.S. has decreased since the 1970s, it has steadily increased again over the past decade. From 2017 to 2019, there were around 138,342 deaths from liver cirrhosis in the United States, with alcohol-related cirrhosis accounting for 69,528 of these deaths. The rate of alcohol-related cirrhosis death is highest among those aged 55 to 64 years, with around 19.7 deaths per 100,000 population.Damage to the liver caused by cirrhosis, alcohol abuse, and hepatitis can also lead to liver cancer. Rates of liver cancer are more common among males than females and are higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanics than any other race or ethnicity. As of 2020, those diagnosed with liver cancer had a 22 percent chance of surviving 5 years after being diagnosed with the disease. The death rate from liver cancer has steadily increased since the year 1999, rising to a rate of 6.5 deaths per 100,000 population in 2022.
Liver transplants
Treatment for liver disease depends on the type of disease and cause, but can include changes in lifestyle, such as abstaining from alcohol, medications, and surgery. In the case of liver failure or end-stage chronic liver disease, a liver transplant may be necessary. In 2022, liver transplants were one of the most common type of organ transplant in the United States, with around 29 transplants per million inhabitants. However, as of November 2023, there were around 10,049 candidates in the U.S. waiting for a liver transplant.
