Hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma mortality: a focus on the US-Mexico border region.

[BACKGROUND] In the United States, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality is disproportionately high in the US-Mexico border region. This study examined disparities in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC mortality between border and nonborder regions.

[METHODS] We queried the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database from 2000 to 2020 for deaths with ICD-10 codes B18.2 (chronic HCV) and C22.0 (HCC). Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100,000 were compared across border and nonborder regions. Significant differences were determined by nonoverlapping 95% confidence intervals.

[RESULTS] The border region had a 1.6-fold higher overall ASMR (95% CI = 1.5-1.7) than nonborder regions (0.8 vs 0.5 per 100,000). All ethnic groups in the border region had a higher ASMR than their nonborder counterparts, with pronounced risk ratios (RR) in White (RR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.9-2.1), American Indian (RR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.2-2.8), and Black/African American (RR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.3-2.0) people. Within the border region, Black people had the highest risk compared to White people (RR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.6-2.6), followed by American Indian people (RR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.5). Hispanic people also had an increased risk (RR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2-1.4) compared to non-Hispanic people.

[CONCLUSION] HCV-related HCC mortality is significantly higher in the US-Mexico border region, particularly among Black and American Indian/Alaska Native populations.