·       Legendary musician David Bowie, died Sunday

o   After (secret) 18-month battle with liver cancer

o   World pays tribute to one of the most inventive talents in history

·       Liver cancer is one of the deadliest cancers out there

·       Liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer kills over 600,000 people globally each year

o    One of the most common forms of cancer around the world

o   Uncommon in the U.S. (according to the Mayo Clinic)

o   Rates in America are rising

o   In the US alone, 35,660 new cases are found every year

o    Nearly 25,000 Americans are expected to die from liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer this year.

·       Most liver cancer that occurs in the U.S. begins elsewhere

o   then spreads to the liver

·       Closely related cancer is intrahepatic bile duct cancer

o   Occurs in the duct that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine

·       Liver cancer is more common in men

·       95% of people diagnosed are 45 years or older

·       Alcoholism is a root cause

o   Researchers say that if a person consumes 3 alcoholic drinks per day, they will most likely develop liver cancer.

Risk factors for liver cancer:

·       Gender

o   Men are more likely to get hepatocellular carcinoma than women.

·       Weight

o   Obesity can increase the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma.

·       Race

o   In the U.S., liver cancer is most common in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

·       Anabolic steroid use

o   Male hormones abused by athletes to increase muscle can slightly increase liver cancer risk with long-term use.

·       History of diabetes

o   Studies have suggested a link between diabetes and liver cancer

o   Likely due to the link between diabetes and fatty liver disease

·       Inherited metabolic diseases

o   Diseases that disrupt the normal metabolism of the body have been shown to increase your risk of liver cancer.

·       Rare diseases

o   Studies have found a link between liver cancer and some rare diseases like alpha -1-antitrypsin deficiency, tyrosinemia, and Wilson's disease.

Other cancer factors:

·       Smoking

·       Poor nutrition

·       Heavy alcohol use

·       Obesity

·       Low activity levels

·       Exposure to pollutants