Liver cancer screening in a high-risk population in China fails to reduce mortality

Abstract

Question

Does liver cancer screening reduce mortality from the disease in a high-risk Chinese population?

Study design

Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Main results

In people at high risk of liver cancer, screening did not significantly reduce the incidence of primary liver cancer or risk of death compared with no screening (see Table 1), despite earlier detection of the disease (see notes).

Table 1 Primary liver cancer incidence and mortality rates in a high-risk Chinese population.
	Screened ($\text{N=3712}$)	Not screened ($\text{N=1869}$)	$\text{p}$ value
Number of primary liver cancer cases	257 (7%)	117 (6%)
Incidence rate†	1341	1195	0.30
Deaths from primary liver cancer	218 (6%)	109 (6%)
Mortality rate†	1138	1113	0.86

^†Per 100,000 person years.

Authors’ conclusions

Liver cancer screening in a high-risk population in China does not reduce mortality from the disease.