Victorians who are at risk of hepatitis B are being urged to get tested as new data reveals one in three Victorians living with hepatitis B is yet to be diagnosed, increasing their risk of liver cancer.
The data from The Doherty Institute’s viral hepatitis mapping project estimates there are 58,268 Victorians living with chronic hepatitis B, with almost 20,000 of these people yet to be diagnosed.
Hepatitis B is a virus that can affect the liver and, if left undetected and untreated, can cause liver damage and cancer.
The report also found there was an estimated 534,000 fewer hepatitis serology blood tests recorded in Victoria between 2019 and 2023 than expected. Despite a slight increase in 2023, testing rates are still below pre-COVID figures.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Professor Benjamin Cowie, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis at the Doherty Institute, said the data highlights the need for action to improve early diagnosis of hepatitis B and linkage to care.
“The decline in testing for hepatitis B was expected during COVID with the shift in routine healthcare access, but it’s concerning to see that in 2023 this still hasn’t recovered, especially when we know that early detection of hepatitis B is critical in preventing progression to liver cancer,” he said.
In Victoria, people who are born in hepatitis B endemic countries are at greater risk of hepatitis B.
“We need to take action now to ensure that Victorians living with hepatitis B are being diagnosed so that they can be linked to the treatment and care they need to stay well and prevent liver cancer,” Professor Cowie said.
Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper said liver cancer is the fastest rising cause of cancer-related deaths in Victoria, but that increasing hepatitis B testing can help to significantly reduce the impact of this cancer on the community.
“Liver cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of cancers in Victoria and this is often due to it being diagnosed at a late stage. This is why early detection of risk factors like hepatitis B and linking those diagnosed with care and treatment are so important,” Mr Harper said.
In 2022, 617 Victorians were diagnosed with liver cancer and 450 lost their lives to this disease.
“Too many Victorians are dying from a cancer that could have been prevented through testing and treatment of hepatitis B. It’s so important that people are getting tested, and that healthcare providers and community leaders are having these conversations to help link more people to the care they need to prevent a liver cancer diagnosis,” he said.
