HI SR78

Designates February of each year beginning in 2020 as Liver and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month in Hawaii

Notes that Hawaii has the highest death rate for liver and bile duct cancer in the nation and a 33 percent higher incidence than the national average, with 184 new cases annually

Identifies Asian and Pacific Islanders as having the highest risk of diagnosis with these cancers and notes an annual increase of 2.1 percent in males and 1.3 percent in females from 2004 to 2013

Cites liver flukes found in raw or undercooked freshwater fish and aflatoxins in improperly stored foods as potential risk factors in addition to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and liver disease

Urges the Department of Health, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, American Cancer Society, and county governments to promote public awareness and education about liver and bile duct cancer and associated dietary and environmental risks