To examine rural-urban disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence and incidence-based mortality trends in the US from 2001 to 2022.
Key Findings:
From 2001 to 2022, 264,633 people were diagnosed with HCC, with 77% being men and 86.6% in urban areas.
HCC incidence rates for men were higher in urban counties (5.8 per 100,000) compared to rural counties (4.5 per 100,000).
Men in rural counties experienced an annual incidence increase of 1.1% from 2007 to 2022, while urban men saw a decrease of 1.4% from 2008 to 2022.
For women, HCC incidence was also higher in urban counties (1.5 per 100,000) than rural counties (1.2 per 100,000).
Women in rural areas had a steady increase in incidence, while urban women saw an increase followed by a decrease.
Interpretation:
Despite national decreases in HCC incidence, rural populations have not experienced similar improvements, indicating significant geographic disparities.
Limitations:
Data suppression for non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander populations in rural areas.
Potential underestimation of incidence-based mortality rates in earlier years due to limited follow-up time.
Conclusion:
The study highlights the need for targeted interventions in rural areas to address the rising burden of HCC and reduce disparities.
