Testing urged as key to preventing liver cancer in at-risk communities

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the third highest cause of cancer death.

Victorian women born in Greece, China and South Pacific countries such as Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were twice as likely to develop stomach cancer as women born in Australia.

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Victorian men born in the Middle East were 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer, while men born in Spain, Portugal and Malta were 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower neck, below the Adam’s apple, that helps regulate the body’s metabolism. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and helps regulate blood sugar. Thyroid and pancreatic cancer are uncommon, but cases are increasing among women and young people, respectively.

Truganina resident Chris Kee was born in Malaysia and moved to Melbourne in 2003. After suffering a bad fall three years ago, doctors discovered he had a tumor in his liver.

“I fell in Hoppers Pass while walking to get my car from the parking lot,” Kee said. “I was walking there and I don’t know how I tripped, but I fell and broke six ribs.”

A series of scans and tests revealed a six-centimeter tumor on his liver; When this tumor was removed, it turned out to be cancerous, and this result shocked him.

“There was no hepatitis when I came to Australia. If there had been, they would have refused my visa because they are so strict here. All the blood tests – I was surprised.”

Kee said his liver function is fine for now because the hepatitis B virus is currently dormant, but it could return with a vengeance at any time. That’s why he’s on the liver transplant list.

“I’m lucky in a way. They noticed when I fell. If I hadn’t fallen, I wouldn’t be talking to you.”

“I encourage people in the Asian community to please go and get tested. It could save your life.”

Charissa Feng, a senior manager of Cancer Council Victoria’s liver cancer programme, said hepatitis B could remain a silent infection for decades and not all countries had access to vaccines administered at birth.

“If you do not know your hepatitis B status or whether you have been vaccinated before, especially if you were born abroad, have a blood test done by your doctor. If you have hep B virus, this does not immediately mean that you have liver cancer. The important thing is to have regular check-ups with your doctor once or twice a year.”

Professor Sue Evans, director of the Victoria Cancer Registry, said she hoped the latest report would spark conversations between families that would ultimately save lives.

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“A large percentage of Victoria’s population was born overseas or had parents born overseas,” he said. “It’s important that we understand where resources should be focused.”

It’s important to note that there are many factors that contribute to cancer risk, Evans said. Although prostate cancer diagnosis rates were lower in men born in Italy, Greece, Asia and the Middle East compared to Australian-born men, this did not mean that the foreign-born population had healthier prostates; probably underlining that men should talk to their doctors more regularly once they turn 50.

In fact, Victorian men born in Vietnam and other countries in mainland Southeast Asia were nearly 20 percent more likely to be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer than Australian-born Victorian men. This was similar for Victorian men born in India, although the overall incidence of the disease was lower.

“It’s a very crude tool for measuring cancer, but that’s the tool we have right now,” Evans said of Wednesday’s report.

“Ideally, we want to collect information about how long a person has been in Australia, what language is spoken at home and what their culture and ethnicity are.”

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