Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary liver cancer with a high mortality rate. While chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections represent the leading risk factors worldwide, the spreading of metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) justifies the increasing attention on their oncogenic mechanisms. This review discusses about the main pathogenic mechanisms implicated in occurrence of HCC in presence of viral and metabolic diseases. Additionally, it points to the importance of clinical surveillance for those patients considered at risk of HCC and highlights the strategical role of serum markers, such as alfa-fetoprotein (αFP) and Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonist II (PIVKA-II), which, in association to a strictly instrumental follow-up, contribute to the early detection of hepatic nodules with a better prognosis for affected patients.
Highlights
It points to the importance of clinical surveillance for those patients considered at risk of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and highlights the strategical role of serum markers, such as alfa-fetoprotein and Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonist II (PIVKA-II), which, in association to a strictly instrumental follow-up, contribute to the early detection of hepatic nodules with a better prognosis for affected patients
The leading incidence of HCC in metabolic disorders motivates the clinical approach to the emergent pre-cancerogenic role of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and justifies the leading scientific interest for the metabolic factors that contribute to their pathogenesis
An increased risk of cirrhosis and HCC has been reported in patients with NAFLD and metabolic syndrome (MS)-associated clinical disorders, such as insulin-resistance (IR)/type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), visceral obesity, dyslipidaemia and arterial hypertension [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] (Figure 3)
Summary
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally develops from a background of chronic inflammatory liver disease and, despite both the imminent disappearance of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-related chronic disease and the maintenance of a low or absent replication load in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) chronic infections, DOI: 10.4236/jct.2018.95037 May 24, 2018
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
