Objective  To analyze the trend in liver cancer incidence and mortality in Shandong province during 2013 – 2018 for providing evidence to the prevention and control of liver cancer.

  Methods  The data of 2013 – 2018 on liver cancer incidence and mortality among residents covered by 35 tumor registries across Shandong province were extracted from tumor registry system of the province. After data cleaning, annual crude and standardized (based on national population of China 2000 census) incidence and mortality rate of liver cancer among the residents were calculated. Joinpoint 4.8.0.1 software was used to estimate the annual percentage change (APC) in liver cancer incidence and mortality rate.

  Results  From 2013 to 2018 among the residents, the annual crude incidence rate (1/100 000) of liver cancer were 29.86, 30.26, 27.99, 29.57, 26.80, and 26.31 and the annual standardized incidence rate (1/100 000) were 19.51, 18.94, 17.33, 17.39, 15.73, and 15.18, respectively; both the crude and standardized incidence rate of liver cancer showed an overall decreasing trend, with the APC of – 2.7% and – 5.0% (both P < 0.05) ; the annual crude mortality rate (1/100 000) and standardized mortality rate (1/100 000) of liver cancer also presented an overall decreasing trend during the 6-year period, with the annual crude rate of 26.13, 26.07, 24.08, 23.12, 23.69, and 23.12 for incidence and 16.87, 16.13, 14.70, 13.08, 13.69 and 13.08 for mortality rate (APC = – 2.6% and – 5.1%, both P < 0.01); the annual incidents of liver cancer accounted for 36.65%, 36.36%, 32.81%, 31.68%, 28.66%, and 28.13% of all newly diagnosed malignant tumors per year and the annual number of deaths due to liver cancer accounted for 29.58%, 28.95%, 26.76%, 24.59%, 23.47%, and 22.54% of all malignant tumor deaths yearly for years 2013 – 2018. Also for the years 2013 – 2018, the age-specific (five year age group) liver cancer incidence rate decreased significantly among the male and female residents aged elder than 34 years and younger than 85 years (P < 0.05 for all); the age-specific liver cancer mortality rate decreased during the same period among the male and urban residents aged elder than 39 years and younger than 85 years (P < 0.05 for all); the decreasing trends in annual standardized incidence and mortality rate of liver cancer were significant for subgroups of male, female, urban, and rural populations (P < 0.05 for all).

  Conclusion  During 2013 to 2018, the overall incidence and mortality rate of liver cancer showed a decreasing trend among the residents in Shandong province, but the incidence and mortality rate were still at a high level.