Cancer Australia is currently updating the statistics on this page in alignment with the new Cancer Data in Australia report published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on 8 October 2025.
The following material has been sourced from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Liver cancer incorporates ICD-10 cancer code C22 (Malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile ducts).
New cases
In 2020, there were 2,582 new cases of liver cancer diagnosed in Australia (1,868 males and 714 females). In 2024, it is estimated that 3,208 new cases of liver cancer will be diagnosed in Australia (2,336 males and 872 females). In 2024, it is estimated that a person has a 1 in 100 (or 1.0%) risk of being diagnosed with liver cancer by the age of 85 (1 in 68 or 1.5% for males and 1 in 192 or 0.52% for females).
Graph: statistic-liver-incidence-counts-2024
In 2020, the age-standardised incidence rate was 10 cases per 100,000 persons (16 for males and 5.5 for females). In 2024, it is estimated that the age-standardised incidence rate will be 12 cases per 100,000 persons (18 for males and 6.1 for females). The incidence rate for liver cancer is expected to increase with age, up to 85–89 years.
Graph: statistic-liver-age-standardised-incidence-rate-2024
The number of new cases of liver cancer diagnosed increased from 229 (168 males and 61 females) in 1982 to 2,582 in 2020. Over the same period, the age-standardised incidence rate increased from 2.2 cases per 100,000 persons (3.6 for males and 1.1 for females) in 1982 to 10.4 cases per 100,000 persons in 2020.
Deaths
In 2020, liver cancer was the seventh most common cause of cancer death in Australia. It is estimated that it will become the sixth most common cause of death from cancer in 2024.
In 2022, there were 2,595 deaths from liver cancer in Australia (1,512 males and 824 females). In 2024, it is estimated that there will be 2,595 deaths (1,689 males and 906 females). In 2024, it is estimated that a person has a 1 in 124 (or 0.80%) risk of dying from liver cancer by the age of 85 (1 in 93 or 1.1% for males and 1 in 188 or 0.53% for females).
Graph: statistic-liver-mortality-counts-2024
In 2022, the age-standardised mortality rate was 9.1 deaths per 100,000 persons (13 for males and 6.0 for females). In 2024, it is estimated that the age-standardised mortality rate will be 9.6 deaths per 100,000 persons (13 for males and 6.2 for females). The mortality rate for liver cancer is expected to increase with age, up to 85−89 years.
Graph: statistic-liver-age-standardised-mortality-rate-2024
The number of deaths from liver cancer increased from 282 (185 males and 97 females) in 1982 to 2,290 in 2022. Over the same period, the age-standardised mortality rate increased from 2.9 deaths per 100,000 persons (4.2 for males and 1.9 for females) in 1982 to 9.1 deaths per 100,000 persons in 2022.
Survival
In 2015–2019, individuals diagnosed with liver cancer had a 23% chance (23% for males and 22% for females) of surviving for five years compared to their counterparts in the general Australian population. Between 1990–1994 and 2015–2019, five-year relative survival for liver cancer increased from 7.6% to 23%.
Graph: statistic-liver-5-year-relative-survival-2024
Prevalence
At the end of 2020, there were 1,682 people living who had been diagnosed with liver cancer that year, 4,826 people living who had been diagnosed with liver cancer in the previous 5 years (from 2016 to 2020) and 7,561 people living who had been diagnosed with liver cancer in the previous 39 years (from 1982 to 2020).
For more information, see Liver cancer on the NCCI website
The National Cancer Control Indicators (NCCI) are a set of indicators across the continuum of cancer care, from Prevention and Screening through to Diagnosis, Treatment, Psychosocial care, Research and Outcomes. The NCCI website allows users to see visual representations of data on each indicator through interactive charts
