Cirrhosis is a disease characterized by the gradual replacement of healthy liver tissue by nodules and fibrous tissue (fibrosis) that gradually alter the liver function. It is a serious and progressive disease.

Cirrhosis most often results from chronic liver damage, for example due to excessive alcohol consumption or infection with a virus (hepatitis B or C).

This persistent inflammation or damage, which causes little or no symptoms for a long time, ultimately results in irreversible cirrhosis, which destroys liver cells. In fact, cirrhosis is the advanced stage of certain chronic liver diseases.

Who is affected?

In France, the prevalence of cirrhosis is estimated at around 2 to 000 cases per million population (3-300%), and it is estimated that there are 0,2-0,3 new cases per million population each year. In total, around 150 people are affected by cirrhosis in France, and 200 to 700 deaths per year linked to this condition are deplored.¹.

The global prevalence of the disease is not known, but it hovers around the same figures in North America and Western countries as in France. There are no precise epidemiological data for Canada, but cirrhosis is known to kill approximately 2600 Canadians each year². This condition is even more common in Africa and Asia, where hepatitis B and C are widespread and often poorly managed diseases.³.

Diagnosis occurs on average between the ages of 50 and 55.