Author information
1 Center For Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church, VA, USA.
2 Betty and Guy Beatty Center for Integrated Research, Inova Health System, Claude Moore Health Education and Research Building, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA, 22042, USA.
3 Center For Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church, VA, USA. Zobair.Younossi@inova.org.
4 Betty and Guy Beatty Center for Integrated Raesearch, Inova Health System, Claude Moore Health Education and Research Building, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA, 22042, USA. Zobair.Younossi@inova.org.
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the most common liver disorder worldwide, affecting 25.2% of the general population. In fact, NAFLD is among the most common etiologies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The burden of NAFLD is primarily driven by the epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes which are expected to worsen throughout the world. In this context, the burden of NAFLD and associated HCC and cirrhosis are also expected to increase. Despite its growing disease burden, diagnostic tools and treatment modalities remain very limited. This conundrum of increasing prevalence and limited treatment options will be reflected as increasing number of NAFLD-related cirrhosis and HCC cases. This article reviews the most updated information about NAFLD-related HCC and provides some insight into strategies that must be considered to reduce its potential disease burden.